Celestial Students
by TsubasaCaligrapher
Summary: They were all just regular kids, until they encountered something supernatural. Then, armed with new powers, there's only one thing worse then their new ghosthunting job ... HIGH SCHOOL ! Follow their adventures in this story about Friendship and Fate ...
1. GoldenVale High School

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 1**

_" Ring … Ring … Ring ! " _A slim arm reached out and slammed down on his alarm clock before he pulled his blanket more over his head. Suddenly, a figure slid through the crack of his door and the small and sinister shadow slowly crept towards his bed … closer … and closer … and closer … until …

" WAKE UP ! " a small voiced screamed into his ear. His head shot up out of bed and hit the headboard !

" You little midget ! Get back here ! " Ericel shouted at his sister as she grinned deviously and ran out of the room screaming.

" Daddy ! Daddy ! Save me, Eric's being mean to me ! " Loan shouted way too gleefully as her brother chased her through their small home. Suddenly, a frying pan flew out of nowhere and slaw right in front of Ericel's face.

" Oh my god. Dad ! Be careful with that thing ! " he yelled as his dad peeked out of the corner apologetically.

" He he, sorry. But you're awake now, so hurry up and get dressed, it's your first day of high school ! " his dad, Eriol, said too eagerly.

" Come on dad ! It's ok, I'm not a nervous wreck like someone I know. " he sighed as he ran back into his room. He threw on his glasses and a white t-shirt and khaki pants on. He ran a comb through his half-red half-black hair, the result of a bad science experiment.

" Come on man ! … LOAN ! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY ALARM ! " he screamed as he noticed it was an hour late !

" What ? Not my fault. " she said innocently as she was already dressed in her uniform.

" Yeah, as if. " he grumbled as he grabbed a banana and pulled on his shoes.

" Bye dad ! See ya at night ! " they both called as they ran out the door to their waving dad.

" Daisuke ! Get your butt down here ! " Ericel yelled as his best friend flew out the door next door.

" Loan, hurry up and go meet up with Tran, I'll pick you up after school 'k ? " he called as his little sister just sighed.

" Come on ! I'm already in 7th grade you dork ! I'm not in elementary school anymore ! " she whined.

" Oh, stop whining ! You're still younger than me so you have to do what I say. Now hurry up, you can't be late for school ! " he said as he pushed her off and he and Daisuke walked the other direction.

" Oh my god, my sister's such a pain ! " Ericel grumbled as he put his face into his hands while Daisuke just fidgeted nervously.

" Oh my god. I can't believe we're finally going to high school ! " he muttered nervously.

" Oh come on man ! It's just high school ! "

" Yeah, it's _just_ high school for you, but I have a social status to uphold. " he argued back.

" What social status ? In Jr.high, you were the class clown, and I was the school nerd, things aren't going to get any better. " he just said back calmly, though he didn't know what he was talking about. They had just recently started taking martial arts classes, and they were actually pretty attractive.

" Exactly ! That's why high school's such a big deal ! It's a chance for us to change our image, cause everything there is **all about image** ! " he enunciated.

" Come on Davis ! " he said, using their American names instead of their Japanese ones.

" Hey, if you wanna be the nerd, then go right to it. But I want to change ok. " he said as they strolled into school, taking in the site that wasn't as impressive as they thought it would be.

" Wow. " they said, both of them taking on completely different tones. Ericel said it in boredom, while Daisuke said it in excitement.

" Look, its Anne. " Ericel muttered to his best friend, making him look over at their old classmate.

" Hey, I wonder if any of our other classmates are here ? " he asked as he started looking around the large hall.

" Turn around, turn around quickly ! " Ericel whispered as he spotted one of their old classmates, one they didn't exactly like.

" What ? " he asked in confusion, then he saw her. You all know the most popular evil girl at your school right, well this was ours, though she wasn't popular, she was just plain evil.

" Hello you two. How was your summer ? Spent your days doing whatever you losers do ? "

" Well, of course we had a great summer, you weren't there ! " Ericel put on a fake smile.

" Ugh ! You stupid fag, don't talk to me ! " Hennifer scoffed as she flipped her hair and walked away.

" That little bi- " Ericel started before an announcement rang out throughout the school.

" New students ! Come to the office and get your new schedules ! To the office to get your schedules ! " a loud voice rang out. Suddenly, the earth started to rumble and Daisuke and Ericel looked at each other strangely. They slowly turned their heads and sweat dropped as they saw a giant crowd of students rushed towards them. They turned around and gasped as they realized the office was right behind them …

" Aaaagghhhh ! " they screamed as they got trampled over …

" Wow, that was scary. " Ericel sighed as he popped up. He looked over to his flattened friend, and picked him up before he regained shape.

" Ok, not that hot for high school anymore. " he groaned as he cracked his neck.

" Eew. " they turned around and smile at Anne.

" Hey Anne. " Ericel waved.

" Hey ! … are you sure you should be over here ? I mean, won't the " populars " get angry at you for hanging out with us. " he said bitterly as he learned how cliques were way too important in middle school.

" What ? Oh, don't care about them. I'm still your friends you guys. " she smiled. She _was_ their friend, the key word was there. Anne was just an average girl that used to be their friend, until she started going through puberty and turned into one of the prettiest girls in school.

" Yeah, we know. But we gotta go. " Ericel said quickly as he dragged Daisuke into the office to get their schedule.

**--**

" Oh my god ! First day of school is finished ! " Ericel yelled happily as he pumped his fist into the air.

" You know, it was actually pretty ok ! We didn't get any more popular but hey, it's still only the first day right ? " Daisuke said optimistically.

" 'k, gotta go and pick up Loan, meet you back at the house later. " Ericel waved as they departed.

**--**

" Bye you guys ! " Anne waved goodbye to the crowd of girls.

" Bye Anne ! See you tomorrow ! " they shouted in unison as Anne stepped into her house. She reflected on that day, and thought of her two old friends, sitting by themselves at the lunch table yet seeming to have as much fun as ever, and yet here she was.

" Anne ? You home ? " her mom called out.

" Yeah, I'm here. I'm gonna go upstairs and do my homework ok ? "

**--**

It was midnight now, ( yes, all the good things happen at midnight right ? ), and the kids were all asleep. Suddenly, a eerie light glowed brightly outside the window, waking Ericel up.

" What the hell ? "

**First chapter of my new story finished ! Please review, and if you don't like it, please wait for the second chapter ! It's gonna get better, I promise !**


	2. The Reactor

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 2**

**Thanks to my best friends KaiAN-Chan, Azure Kaze, and my cuz' Sapph1reDrag0n**

" What the hell ? " Ericel wondered aloud as he saw the eerie glowing light coming from the window. But just as soon as it showed up, it had faded away again. He rushed over to window and saw that their old nuclear reactor was where the glow had come from, and where it was still shining dimly.

" This is a bad idea. " he sighed but he knew he had to investigate, Daisuke said that his curiosity was going to get him in trouble one day.

_' Well, I guess it's time for trouble. ' _Ericel grinned as he pulled on a pair of sweats and a gray pull-over sweater. He cautiously opened his door, and tip-toed outside, making sure his dad and sister were asleep as he quietly opened the door.

" Creeeaaakkk …. "it groaned out, making him curse at himself for never oiling the doors for this type of predicament. He finally opened it enough to squeeze his body through the crack before he pulled out his key from his pocket and locked the door behind him.

Ericel started running towards the reactor when … bam !

" Ow ! " Ericel yelped as he collided with a moving shadow. He rubbed his head in pain, and watched as the shadow slowly stood up. Ericel couldn't tell who it was at first but then he stood up into the light.

" Eric ? " called a familiar voice as a car ran by them.

" Imbecile ? " Ericel called out instinctively as he realized it was his best friend who he had run into.

" What are you doing out this late ? " Ericel asked in surprise.

" Well … hey, I could ask you the same thing ! " he said defensively. Suddenly, they both sensed something evil coming from the direction of the reactor …

" You saw it too didn't you ? " Daisuke asked and they both nodded. They didn't know what drove them to go to the reactor that night, or what drove Anne too.

**--**

" I can't believe I'm doing this. " Anne mumbled as she climbed out her window and carefully climbed down the tree in front of her window.

" Well, I guess there's at least one benefit to hanging out with guys since you were in elementary school. " she shrugged as she dusted off her pants. Anne pulled on her jacket before she ran off to the abandoned reactor, her long dark hair trailing behind her.

**--**

" I can't believe we're doing this. " Daisuke mumbled as they finally made it to the reactor's barb-wired fence.

" I can't believe it either, but hey, I thing my personal philosophy will come in handy here. Only regret what you've done, not what you haven't. " Ericel was able to put on a smile, even though he was as nervous about being caught as Daisuke.

" Hey you two ! What are you doing here ! " the two boys looked back nervously, until they saw someone emerging from the darkness.

" Get back you demon creature ! " Daisuke yelled stupidly as Anne came out of the shadows glaring.

" What did you just call me ? " she asked in a warning tone as she looked at the reactor.

" Hey, why are you here ? " Ericel asked with a quirked eyebrow. Suddenly, the reactor gave off another glow, reminding them why they were all there.

" Come on, let's just go and hurry up to investigate this thing. " Anne said tiredly as she walked over to the fence.

" Ah, old times once again. " Ericel smiled happily as he reminisced about the past.

" She's right though, we better hurry up and get in at least before the security guard comes. " Daisuke said. Suddenly, the guard did just come out and they all immediately jumped into the bush, Anne glaring at Daisuke once again.

" Thanks for jinxing it Daisuke. " she sighed, but then smiled.

" I think he's gone you guys. Hurry up, isn't there a back entrance ? " Ericel wondered as he and the others slowly crept their way into the back.

" Hey, you guys, why is there a guard still stationed here when it's abandoned ? " Daisuke asked, making Anne and Ericel start to worry. They stayed silent until they reached a door, which was in the back like Ericel had said.

Ericel slowly opened it, confused as to why this door was unlocked, but he didn't bother about it as he and his friends entered the building.

" This place is kinda creepy. " Anne muttered as she held her arm close to her body.

" I can't believe we're doing this. " Daisuke muttered again as they progressed through the old hall. It gave off a chilling feeling, as the walls were torn and mud seemed to ooze out of it. Suddenly, the hall just ended and they came to a single door at the end of the hall.

" Wait, why's there only one door here ? I know that the reactor's a whole lot bigger than this. " Ericel realized as he reached out towards the door.

" Maybe this room just connects to all the others. " Anne suggested as she walked in first and suddenly gasped. The other two boys hurried in and their eyes widened open as they just saw a giant tube of glowing liquid.

" Eew, what is that ? " Daisuke asked in a slightly disgusted tone as he stared at the gooey green tube in the middle of the empty room. That made the other two snap out of it, and Ericel quickly surveyed the room.

" Look you guys. " Ericel said quietly and they other two looked around in confusion.

" What ? We don't see anything. " Daisuke said.

" Exactly, there's nothing in this room besides this tube. It looks like this room isn't connected to the rest of the reactor like Anne thought, and is only accessible from the back entrance we took. "

" But then it was unlocked, so someone was previously here. " Anne realized.

" Or someone _was_ here and they just forgot to lock it up. " Daisuke suggested.

" Anyways, we know what's causing the light and it's just this harmless tube, so let's just go home. " Ericel said, not telling the others the strange feeling he got whenever he looked at the tube.

" Yeah, let's go home. I wanna be in my bed when my mom checks up on me. " Anne said as they quickly made their exit, not noticing that a shadow was hidden from their sight. Watching after them as they left. Smiling as he turned towards the tube and then walked over to it, placing a single white dynamite stick at the base and pulling out a remote control from his pocket.

" Boom. " he chuckled as he hit a button in the center of the controller. The strange white dynamite exploded, bring out a silent boom as all of the green liquid drained from the tube and into a smaller one the shadow held in his hand …

**--**

The next morning, the three teenagers were continuing their normal morning routine when the mysterious shadow from before was hovering right above them.

" Let's see if this is gonna work or not. " he smirked evilly as he hopped onto a telephone pole that was equal distance from all their homes. He got the tube from yesterday filled with the strange green energy and he rolled it in his palms. The cloaked man then twisted open it's cap, and smiled as he watched the green substance float out of the tube and form into a large ball of light energy.

He pulled out a small rope and chanted a single phrase.

" _Seishou Katsu. _" and that was exactly what it did as the energy separated into small orbs of light, and it shot all over the place, three heading straight towards the teenagers' houses.

**--**

Ericel stepped into the shower and started washing his body when suddenly something fluttered the blinds, making him confused as he never opened the window.

" What the- oomph ! " he grunted as he stuck his head out the window, only for a beam of light to shoot straight towards him and knock him back against the wall …

**--**

" Hmmm, still a bit of time before school … " Daisuke mused as he put his headphones on and started his MP3 player. As his head bopped along with the music, he didn't notice as the green ball of energy phased through his window and shot him in the back, sending him facedown onto his desk …

**--**

" Hey there, you thirsty ? " Anne said in a gentle voice as she tended to her garden in the backyard.

" So, only a couple of more days right guys ? Until you're ful- aggghhh ! " she yelped as a green energy orb smashed into her back, making her drop the watering can and fall onto the ground unconscious …

**So, are things getting more interesting ? Please review and I'll update soon !**


	3. Strange Encounters

**Celestial Students **

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 3**

**Thanks once again to my #1 readers ! Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n ! **

" Uhhh … " Ericel groaned as he held his head in throbbing pain. He slowly opened his eyes and realized that he was still in the shower. He realized that he was only out for a few moments before he shut off the water and dried himself off.

" Well, that was weird … " Ericel muttered as he put on his uniform and ran a comb through his reddish-black hair. He stopped and put the comb down slowly, turning around and walking out the door briskly.

" Come on Loan, time to head out for school … " he said absent-mindedly as he buttoned up his shirt.

" What took you so long ? What'd you do ? Fall asleep in the sho- " when she turned and saw her brother strangely serious, she decided it was best to keep quiet as she turned and looked at her dad with worried eyes.

" Bye dad, let's go Loan. " he grabbed a banana and waved to his dad as they went to the front door.

" Be careful. " he called out to his son, making him turn back and smile.

" Don't worry, we will be. " he said before leaving. He looked to his left and saw Daisuke walking out of his house, and rubbing a bump on his forehead.

" Oh, hey Eric ! Loan . " he said as cheerfully as always. Ericel smiled and waved at him as he and his sister separated.

" I'll meet you at home ok ? "

" Yeah. Bye. " Loan waved goodbye as she met up with her best friend and they walked off to school.

" Wow, what's up with that ? " Daisuke wondered aloud.

" What ? " Ericel asked, sincerely confused.

" You and Loan didn't fight today. What's up ? You still thinking about yesterday ? " he asked his friend in worry.

" No … ok, yeah. But it just makes me wonder you know ? Why was there still a guard there even though it's closed down ? Why was the back door unlocked ? What was that strange energy in the tube ? " he sighed into his hands.

" Come on, stop thinking about it. It's another day of school ! " he said enthusiastically.

" Wow, now I almost miss the you that was a nervous wreck. But, I guess you're right, I gotta stop thinking about it. " he admitted, looking forward to school.

" Yeah ! Yesterday was just the first day so nothing happened yet. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see ! "

**--**

" Oh my god. " Ericel groaned as he got his lunch and laid facedown next to his friend who was happily eating.

" What ? " he asked as he placed down … the object school called food.

" These first three periods were like hell ! Damn, why is Algebra 2 so difficult ! And Science and History are the most boring subjects like … ever ! " he whined as he peered down at the strange mess of food on is tray.

" And what the hell did I pick up over there ? " he wondered as he pocked a blob with his fork … and he think it moved …

" But hey don't worry ! Next we have Language Arts, P.E., and Home Ec. ! Your favorite classes ! " he said optimistically, making Ericel smile.

" I wish I could be like you Daisuke, without a care in the world … " he said dreamily. Then he looked around the cafeteria and saddened.

" It sucks being freshmen, everyone has like their own designated table. And it's

already divided into sections already by year so it's even worse. " he sighed as he looked at the seniors and the " populars ", the ones who own the school. Suddenly, his eyes landed on Anne and he quirked his eyebrow.

" Hey, is it just me or is there something different about her ? "

" I'm not sure, but- " the bell rang and cut him off. They quickly picked up their books and backpacks as they exited the cafeteria quickly before the other students.

**--**

" Hmmm … " Ericel tapped his pencil against his lips as was deep in thought. It was free period in Lang. Arts 'cause the teacher didn't have everything organized, and he decided to use his time wisely and work on writing stories, a hobby of his.

" As he slowly closed in on the stranger … a strand of red flashed before him and intercepted the blow … " he slowly lifted his pencil and stared at what he just wrote.

" Ok, strange … " he had no idea where that thought came from, but then something caught his eye outside the window.

" Ok, class is about to end ! " Miss Lopez smiled gently as she tied her dark hair back. Ericel turned to look down at his work before looking back at the window confused. Whatever had caught his eye was gone.

**--**

" So, everyone got it ? " as the answer yes chorused throughout the gym, Ms. Garcia nodded in satisfaction as she straightened her glasses while the bell rang.

" Ok then, off to class everyone ! " she said happily as they left the gym and Daisuke and Ericel headed towards a portable.

" Everyone get your aprons on ! It's cookin' time ! " Ms. Katsuragi yelled enthusiastically as her violet hair was in a ponytail behind her. She preferred everyone call her Misato and she was very exuberant, making some of the students wary of her but Daisuke and Ericel loved her right off the bat.

" Oh, can you tie the back for me ? " Daisuke asked as he turned his back to him. When Daisuke looked forward, he saw Anne on the other side of him.

" Hey look, it's Anne. " he turned pointing, making Ericel lose his grips on the string and growing unbalanced.

" Whoa. " he yelped as he quickly grabbed onto Davis's shoulders and balanced himself. He let out a breath in relief and looked over and saw it was indeed Anne.

" Hey, I didn't know she was in our class. " Ericel said, then a sudden yell made him turn towards the front of the class. He slowly sweat dropped as he saw Misato move her arms in a flurry.

" And this and this and this and this ! " she said as she threw in ingredient after ingredient into a bowl. Then she poured it out onto a pan and popped it in the over happily. Suddenly, everyone frowned and she looked around in confusion.

" Huh ? What's up everyone ? " she looked over to her oven and gasped comically.

" Eep ! " she yelped as she saw smoke coming out. She threw open the oven and coughed, rushing everyone outside the classroom. When they were all outside, she let out a battle cry and started using the fire extinguisher like crazy.

When it was all clear, she walked out and scratched the back of her head, laughing.

" Well, that didn't exactly go as I expected ! " she laughed good-naturedly as some of the students glared, but Daisuke, Ericel, and Anne laughed along. Suddenly, he was sure of it this time as Ericel spotted a moving shadow in the trees.

He suddenly ran off towards it, startling his friends and teacher.

" Eric ? Where you goin' ? " Daisuke called as he ran after his friend.

" Those two ! " Anne glared as she sighed and ran after them. Misato watched them run off, something keeping her from not chasing after them …

**--**

" Come out ! I know you're there ! " Ericel yelled as he ran out onto the empty blacktop and started looking around.

" E-Eric … what are you looking for ? " Daisuke huffed out tiredly as he caught up with his friend. Anne soon caught up and leaned on Daisuke tiredly.

" What's up ? " she asked as Ericel just continued looking around in alert.

" Something was watching us, I know it. " he said. Suddenly, the school bell rang, announcing the end of school. Children crowded the area, snapping Ericel out of his concentration.

" Maybe I just saw it … but I'm not sure … " Ericel admitted as he looked around warily. He scratched the back of his head and followed his friends back to class to get their backpacks, unknown that the mysterious man from before was watching them intently.

**--**

" So, did anything happen to you this morning ? " Anne asked as they left through the school gates. The two boys turned to her and were about to discuss it when Anne's friends called her over.

" Anne ? Come on, let's walk together ! " one of them called out to the group.

" Oh, sorry you guys. Well … bye. " she said awkwardly as she ran off while her two old friends waved.

" So, did anything happen this morning ? " Ericel asked as he remembered how Daisuke reacted to the question.

" Well, actually … " and he told Ericel how he had felt a sharp pain in the middle of his back and then had lost consciousness for a couple of minutes right after.

" Yeah, me too. Do you think this has anything to do with last night ? " he said insightfully as Daisuke just shrugged. Ericel pondered it as he went to pick up his sister.

**--**

" _Itadakimasu_. " Ericel's family chorused as they dug into their food.

" Davis, you want to stay over ? When did your grandparents say they were going to get back ? " Ericel asked his friend as he scooped his bowl full of rice.

" Ummm, I think a couple of days, a week at best. And sure, I wanna stay over, if that's ok with your dad. " Daisuke replied as he started eating.

" Sure, of course. You can stay here whenever you want ! " Eriol smiled. Suddenly, the hair on Ericel's neck stood up as he felt a chill from behind him. He looked back and saw that the window was open … which he didn't open.

" Dad, who opened the window ? " he asked warily as he got up.

" I didn't. Loan, did you ? " he asked his daughter but she shook her head no. Ericel poked his head outside and looked around before he closed the window and came back to the table.

**--**

" Something's up man. Ever since we went to that reactor yesterday … "

" Aw, come on man ! Stop thinking about it, it's bad for you. It's time for bed anyway, just get some sleep will ya ? " Daisuke muttered as he collapsed onto his futon. Ericel switched off the light as he turned on his side and tried to get some sleep.

It was the middle of the night when Ericel was suddenly awakened. He didn't know what woke him up, until the floor started creaking. Suddenly, something jumped towards him, and he was too late in realizing that the cloaked figure had a knife !

" Davis ! " Ericel yelled his friend when suddenly he was stabbed at, but he swiftly moved to the side and bent down and kicked, knocking his opponent off balance.

" Wha- ? " Daisuke muttered in confusion as he reached for the light and flipped it on, watching the cloaked figure stagger away from Ericel to the opposite end of the room. His eyes widened as he saw the knife, but then the figure turned quickly and pulled out a gun, shooting him in the leg !

" Davis ! " Ericel yelled out to his friend, dropping his guard unintentionally. The shadow moved with an amazing speed right in front of his side and whispered into his ear.

" This is only the beginning. Get stronger … " was all it said before it plunged the knife into his stomach …

**--**

As a shadow crept into Anne's room … it went straight for her bead and pulled out a knife, lifting the sheets only to gasp in surprise as it was filled with only pillows.

" You freakin' perv ! " Anne shouted as she ran to his side and kicked him, lifting her leg behind her back and hitting him in the face while she was still looking at him.

" Don't underestimate me just because I'm a girl. " she warned, her hobby of dancing as made her legs much stronger and made her much more flexible. Plus, hanging out with her old martial arts fanatics made her learn some things.

" And you should learn to never let your guard down. " a voice whispered behind her. It was the man who had just attacked Daisuke and Ericel …

" I haven't. " Anne said as she lifted her right leg over her left shoulder and kicked him in the face as she flipped backwards, kicking him in the chin in the process.

" Hmph ! " she put her arms on her waist as she lifted her chin. But then the man just started laughing, and just as she frowned, he appeared at her side already.

" Too weak. " he said as he stabbed her too. She gaped at him, before fading into darkness …

**YAY ! I'm done ! Please review and I'll update quicker !**


	4. Hospital Nightmares, Part 1

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 4**

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers: Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996 ! **

Strangely … a book fell onto the ground and echoed loudly throughout the empty hall. It was strange to his ears …, as he was seemingly able to hear everything …

Daisuke slowly opened his eyes, but immediately shut them as the lights blinded them. He tried to move, but immediately stopped when his legs shot up in pain. His eyes looked around, and he realized he was in a hospital bed.

" Wha- … ow. " he grumbled as he looked down and realized he was in a cast. Suddenly, his mind flashed as he remembered all that happened. The man, the attack, when he was shot …

" Eww. " He looked over and he just had to grin at his friend's scrunched face. Ericel stared down at his hospital gown in horror. He then lifted his collar and looked under it, groaning at the bandage that was around his wounded torso.

" Well, fabulous. " he said sarcastically as his head fell back. Daisuke had to smile, but it quickly turned into a frown as he remembered what happened that long time ago …

" Davis, you ok ? " Ericel asked.

"Yeah. I just wanna get out of here as soon as I can. " then, he suddenly didn't feel too good as he felt his forehead.

" Aww, man ! I got a freakin' fever ! " he whined as he heard Ericel start smirking.

" Come on man, lighten up ! " he could just hear the laughter in his voice. Daisuke frowned but then he just had to smile at his friend's attempts. Daisuke knew that his friend was just trying to keep his mind away from it, but he could remember that day 5 years ago way too clearly. Suddenly, he blacked out. Ericel looked over in worry, something definitely wasn't right. Daisuke doesn't get sick, not easily. Whenever he does, it's always more serious than it's supposed to be.

" Man, what was in that bullet ? " Ericel wondered as he remembered that Davis was shot instead of stabbed …

**--**

" Hey dad. " Ericel said sleepily as his dad peered over at him.

" Hey kiddo. How you doin' ? " Eriol smiled at his son. Loan came over with Tran and looked at her brother with worry.

" Hey, you ok ? " Loan asked in worry, a side Ericel didn't see much.

" I'm ok. Hey Tran, what's up ? " he asked his sister's friend.

" Nothing, I have come bearing gifts ! " she smiled brightly as she held up three balloons … with strange faces drawn on them …

" Hehe .. ok … thanks … I guess … " he put on a smile as she still grinned brightly.

" Ok, we'll go back home now. Hope you get better soon. " his dad smiled as he started leaving.

" What !? Hey ! You aren't taking me home yet !? " he shouted to his dad who just sweatdropped.

" Son, you got stabbed and were out for a week. And now you've got a slight vulnerability to illnesses too. " he said, relaying surprising information to his son. Ericel heard that they were still looking out for the guy that broke into their house, but being out for a week was new to him.

" Damn you Davis. " he glared at his sleeping friend, cursing him for making him vulnerable to sicknesses.

_' You can't just give me the sickness can you ? You have to pollute the air and make me vulnerable. '_

" But I'm worried about Davis though. Is he going to be ok here ? " Eriol asked in worry after the two girls left the room. He had tried to contact Davis's grandparents, but couldn't reach them.

" I don't think so. I know he'll hold it out, but just try to him out here as soon as you can ok ? " he looked at his father while he nodded and waved goodbye. Next came in someone that surprised Ericel.

" Hey. " Anne said as she came in.

" … hey. What happened to you ? " immediately knowing her strange stance.

" Oh, this. " she said as she lifted up her shirt, revealing a think bandage around her stomach too.

" What happened ? " he asked in surprise. It couldn't be …

" There was this freakin' dude who just broke in and stabbed me ! " she said in a huff.

" And you're ok ? "

" Yeah, why wouldn't I be ? "

" Uhh … never mind … so, what brings you here ? " he asked.

" I come bearing gifts. " she smiled as she put a pile of work on a nearby counter.

" Homework ? "

" Just my way of saying 'get well soon.' "

" Chocolate says it better. " he argued back.

" Yeah, but I did all the assignments, just sign your name. " she smiled proudly.

" Chocolate means nothing to me. " he smiled. He looked over at the unusually large pile and quirked his eyebrow.

" We got that much homework in a week ? " he asked incredulously.

" No, I just did Davis's too. "

" Oh, he would say thanks but … " he and Anne looked over at the sleeping Daisuke.

" Is he ok ? " she asked.

" He's going to be. But he not right now. He's got that virus and his fever's gone up to 107 now, and besides that … " he stopped. Ericel wasn't sure if Daisuke was ok with him telling other people about his past.

" Luckily, his cast is off now … strangely. It was lucky the bullet didn't hit anything but that healed quicker than normal … " he mused. Suddenly, he felt lightheaded as he yawned.

" Ok … sleepiness calls so … "

" Yeah, got it. Hope you two get better soon. " she waved goodbye before she left. Ericel soon drifted off to sleep, night quickly approaching.

**--**

It was 2:28 AM when Davis's eyes started fluttering open. He slowly turned and looked over at his sleeping friend. Suddenly, he heard a noise over by the door and he looked at the clock.

" Two twenty-nine … " he whispered as he looked over in surprise as he saw a small boy with a ponytail standing there. Daisuke watched as the small boy suddenly turned and walked away … and a man suddenly followed him !

Daisuke gasped in fright as he saw the hideous being turn towards him before following the boy. It had a reddish-flesh and long, disgusting hook fingers. It had a flow of white hair coming out of the sides of its head and the back of it, a hat covering his top. On his face was a sinister smile complete with razor-sharp teeth. But that wasn't what scared him the most. It was the eyes … they were completely white, yet still so sinister looking.

Daisuke didn't know why, but he could sense that it was a being of complete evil. He cautiously leaned over the bed, wincing as his previously-injured leg touched the ground, but he will himself to stay up as he walked out into the hall.

With every step and sound being echoed, it made the seemingly empty hospital seem even scarier.

" No, how do you know it's working ! " Daisuke's ears honed onto a conversation as he walked over to the children's ward.

" This is against protocol ! " he looked into a pair of double doors and realized his doctor was arguing with another.

" But this could be helping them. "

" Helping them ! All their temperature's done is get higher ! " his doctor argued.

" If you're so against it- " Daisuke turned around, this seemed more serious than he could handle. When he was almost back at his room, he saw the ponytail haired boy and a girl with a fluffy ponytail standing next to him. Now that he was closer, he could see that his name was Erie and the girl's was Maria.

" It's coming. " they said grimly.

" What do you mean ? "

" The adult can't see it, but we can. " Erie said in a frightened voice.

" See what ? " Daisuke asked in concern. He looked over and saw that Ericel was awake, looking at him and listening to their conversation.

" _Zetsumei_. " they both said.

**--**

It was the next morning, and Ericel and Daisuke were in a heated discussion.

" Hello, how are you doing kids ? … Amazing, it seems that your fever has completely dies down. The virus is out of your system ! " Dr.Mizuki said in surprise.

" Is it the same virus the kids have ? " he asked, taking note of the doctor's hesitant reaction. Suddenly, she got beeped and had to say goodbye. One she left, Daisuke and Ericel continued on about the night before.

" 'Zetsumei' they said. What does that mean ? " Daisuke asked.

" … I think it means death … " Ericel answered quietly.

" Death is coming ? " he asked in shock. Suddenly, Eriol came in and smiled at them.

" I have great news you two ! I got the doctor too let you guys ! " Eriol said.

" Great ! " Ericel said.

" Really !? .. I mean … oohh … aww .. I don't feel so good. I've been feeling kind of icky, I think I'm not completely good yet … " he said, putting on an act and glaring at Ericel to help him.

" What ? .. Oh, oh ! Yeah, extra ickiness ... not a good thing. "

" Really ? Oh, ok. I'll go see the doctor about it. But Ericel, you're coming home right ? " he asked his son.

" Uhh … yeah. " Once he left, he turned back to Daisuke.

" What are you doing ? I thought you would want to get out of here as soon as possible. " Ericel asked his friend.

" I do ! But I saw something last night. " he argued back.

" What ? Your Freddy Kruger persona ? " he asked in question. Usually Daisuke was the reasonable one but the roles were strangely switched.

" I saw it man ! And so did those kids, I can't just leave them. You were awake, but you didn't see how scared they were. " he said with intense feeling, shocking Ericel.

" Fine. But be careful with this. You know about the supernaturals in this world, don't underestimate them. " he said cryptically.

" Dude, you need to lay off the movies. But I'll be careful, that's what you were looking for right ? " he said as Ericel nodded.

" Don't worry, I'm gonna help too ! "

" How ? "

" I'm gonna go research this thing. Might as well, who knows. " he said as Anne suddenly came in.

" I want to help. " she said.

" You were listening the whole time !? " Daisuke said in surprise.

" Yes, and I think you're both crazy. But, I want to help. " she said. Anne really did think they were crazy, but her intuition said something different. Ericel was soon signed out and they were both in his room, discussing this.

" Are you sure Davis was right about this ? " Anne asked.

" I'm not sure. I know both Davis and those kids saw something that night. They said an adult couldn't see it, but that doesn't make it exactly a monster. "

" Something that adults can't see … wait, did Davis mention anything else ? "

" He did say something about this creepy Dr.Yue yesterday night … wait. "

" There _is_ something that only children see sometimes. Someone's true face, their other side. "

" So you think this doctor guy could be the death that the children are so afraid of ? "

" Maybe, if only there was a way we can check his background … "

" Oh wait, come here. You've been missing a lot. " he said as he opened his laptop and switched on the power. He came to the hospital computer screens and was able to hack into the mainframe easy.

" Wow. " she commented as he drew up the file on Dr.Yue.

" He hasn't got the greatest rap sheet. Risky procedures, controversial experiments, malpractice … and the fact that he creeps Davis out. I think we got a suspect. "

**--**

It was nighttime again, as Daisuke roamed the uninhabited halls. He walked back to the children's ward, and saw Erie drawing a picture. He peered over and saw a drawing of … it.

" Is that it ? " he asked.

" You shouldn't be in here. Contagious. "

" Don't worry, I already got what you got. "

" It's coming again tonight. " he said as he continued coloring in the red skin.

" I won't let it hurt you. I know that the adults don't believe you, but hey, I'm not that grown-up. I'll protect you. " he didn't know where it was all coming from, but he had to protect him. He couldn't let someone else get hurt … like Shion …

**--**

**So, a chapter a little longer than normal but hey, hello, first mission time. Anyway, hope you review and this little mystery will unravel !**


	5. The Zetsumei Demon, Part 2

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 5**

**Thanks to my reviewers for giving me the motivation: Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996 !**

**Later that evening … **

Dr.Yue was flipping through his research book before he realized that it was midnight. He looked through his refrigerator and pulled out a tube filled with a clear blue liquid. He put some into a needle before he left for the children's ward, not aware Daisuke was tailing him.

When he got there, he proceeded to Maria's bed as she moaned out in pain. He pulled out her IV tube and injected the liquid into it, smiling kindly as he saw her stop struggling.

" Hehe hehe. " Dr.Yue immediately turned around when he heard an evil voice laughing behind him, but he thought his mind was just playing tricks on him as he turned back, but then he yelled out in pain as he felt something slash him from behind.

" Aaaggghhh ! " he screamed out in anguish as he was thrown out of the room. Daisuke who was right outside the door watched in shock as Dr.Yue landed right in front of him, a large cut on his side.

" Oomph ! " he grunted as he ran over to help, only to be thrown aside by something he couldn't see. Daisuke was knocked unconscious before he had to see Mr.Yue's body being dragged away by an invisible force …

**--**

" Hi ! " Ericel yelled as he burst into the room, shocking Daisuke into making him jump a bit. Anne came in and just waved like a normal person.

" Hey you two. " he greeted as Ericel and Anne popped onto Ericel's old bed.

" Have you noticed anything yet ? " Ericel asked.

" No … "

" We checked out that Dr.Yue, and he wasn't exactly a solid citizen. " Anne added.

" It's not him. He was clean. " he said sadly.

" Clean ? " she asked.

" What do you mean 'was' ? "

" He's dead. This _thing_ shredded him yesterday. " Daisuke said as he produced the drawing that Erie made.

" Whoa, dude. We need to go back to art class man. "

" Hey, that doesn't matter right now … and it's not even my drawing. It was that little boy's. "

" So, it looks like we're dealing with a real monster here … " Ericel said slowly.

" Which means that this place is actually dangerous. Anne, Eric, I don't want you two getting involved. "

" Yeah, I agree. " Ericel said, surprising them.

" Good Eric, then you should leave as soon as- "

" Whoa there dude, I mean about Anne. I'm so not going to let you do this alone. "

" Hey ! " Anne protested making Ericel give her a look.

" Fine, you can help too, just not with the actual contact. " Ericel said squeamishly as he looked at the drawing again.

" But- " then she saw the pleading looks they gave her and just quieted down.

" Ok, Anne, could you research again and search for Zetsumei this time. Like legends, myths, stories, anything can do. " Daisuke suggested.

" So I guess that means that you're checking out Dr.Yue's office for suspicious clues or … whatever. " she said as she saw them nod.

" But will you be able to understand any of it ? "

" Ooh, I'll go. I'm good at these medical stuff. Me and Davis used to play doctor all the time. " he said, making Anne stare at them strangely.

" … no, no ! He means it literally. Eric used to have all these medical volumes and he diagnosed me with stuff. I didn't want to tell him that there was more than one way to do it … "

" Really ? Why, am I doing it wrong ? How did you play doctor ? " he asked Anne.

" Uhh … I've … never have … " she said in surprise as a strange silence followed afterwards.

" Well, as awkward as it is … "

" Go, go. " Daisuke said as she waved goodbye. He then turned to Ericel.

" Now it's time for us to go. " he said as he jumped onto the floor. As they made their way to the doctor's office, it was strangely unguarded as Daisuke peeked his head through and motioned for Ericel to come in.

" It's weird going through his things … " Daisuke muttered as he looked around the place while Ericel looked in the refrigerator.

" Oh look, his coffee. He didn't finish it … I guess he never will now. " he said, slightly nervously. The idea of fighting against death wasn't the most appealing. That and the fact that this was the hospital where his cousin Shion died …

" I think I got something. " Ericel said as he picked up a book.

" Good work Sherlock, I guess being a nerd can be good sometimes. " he sweatdropped as Ericel glared at him before returning to the book.

" Oh, this makes sense ! He was trying to inoculate the kids with a controlled dosage of the virus they already had … you know, raising their temperature to burn the fever out of them. "

" Would that work ? " he asked in question.

" According to this, it was. He was really trying to help the kids … but … "

" Death got to him … "

**--**

Anne had no idea why, but Ericel's room had the most knowledge about the paranormal world all in his shelf of books.

" He really should go out more … " she said as she looked through the books, gasping at their vivid details of demons and monsters.

" Man ! This is going to take too long ! " she groaned as she closed the book. Anne was about to put it back on the shelf when something caught her eye … the cover.

" I think we got our man. I am _so_ lucky ! " she grinned as she started researching about the cover.

**--**

" It means end of life. " Anne said cryptically into her cell.

" Who is this ? " Ericel asked in question.

" It's Anne ! "

" Well, what the hell kind of greeting is that ? " he asked as he just heard her sigh.

" Put it on speaker. " she said so she could relay information to both of them.

" It literally means end of life, so Eric was right, it means death. It feeds on children who can see it … like the fever makes them more tasty … or something equally as nasty. " she scrunched her face while Ericel and Daisuke looked at each other in horror.

" So the children's ward is like an all you can eat buffet. " Ericel gasped.

" And since Dr.Yue was curing them … "

" Comes the slice-age. " she said as she flipped through the pages of the book.

" Oh wait I found a picture … eww …. Oh .. ow ! … if you could see this thing ! How did I let you drag me into this. It sits on it's victims and traps them while it sucks the life out of them … " she said in disgust as Daisuke froze.

" You guys ? What's up ? "

" Thanks for the info. " Ericel said as he was about to hang up.

" I'll be there in a minute. " she said, and she hung up before Ericel could protest. Daisuke was thinking of the past. How his cousin was screaming … telling him to get it off her. Her arms at her side while she tried to swat it away … screaming her last screams …

" Shion … "

" Your cousin ? " Ericel asked.

" It killed her … Eric, we need to hurry. We can't let it hurt any other kids. " but then he groaned.

" Don't worry, you will. We will. "

" But how ? I can't even see it ! "

" You said you did once before. "

" But did I really ? I was crazy with that fever, I … " then he realized it.

**--**

" Davis, this is crazy. Think about it. " Ericel said as Daisuke opened the refrigerator in Dr.Yue's office.

" I have, lots of thought. The fever, that's how you see it. That's why Shion could see it, that's why I was able to, and that's why Erie still can. It's the only way. "

" How will you fight it with 107 degrees ? " he asked as he pulled out the tube.

" Guess we'll find out. " he said as he opened the tube.

" Davis !"

" I'm going to do this ! " he argues, thinking Ericel was protesting.

" That's 100 pure, it would kill you in an instant. "

" Oh … they should really put that on the label. " Ericel just rolled his eyes and took out a bottle of water and two beakers.

" It has to be diluted. " he said as he poured water into one.

" But it's gotta work fast. " Daisuke said as Ericel put three drops into the water.

" Faster than that. " Ericel put two more drops in. As Daisuke put it to his mouth, he lowered it immediately as he saw Ericel filling another beaker with water.

" What the heck are you doing ? "

" I told you, I'm not letting you do it alone. " he said as he put in two drops.

" But you're still highly susceptible to it ! "

" Exactly why I put in only two drops. Here's to my health. " he said as he drank it all in one gulp. Daisuke glared at his friend, then drank his.

**--**

As Anne ran through the hospital entrance, she saw her awfully pale friends walking towards the children's ward.

" I don't think this plan was too good. " Daisuke groaned as he struggled to the ward with Ericel's help.

" Don't worry, I'm still sane. But I think it's starting to affect me too. " Ericel said tiredly as he felt his forehead which was starting to slowly burn up.

" Hey you two ! " Anne called as she moved to Daisuke's other side and helped hold him up.

" What are you doing here ? " Daisuke said.

" I'm here to help. I don't really know your plan, but it seems I'm the only healthy one. " they couldn't help but agree with her. When they got to the children's ward, they looked through the locked double doors in shock.

" … They're gone. The kids are gone … " Daisuke muttered.

**--**

**This is part two of their first mystery ! Please review, and I'll put up the final part of their first battle !**


	6. The First Sign, Part 3

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 6**

**My reviewers ! Yay ! Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996 ! Thank you !**

" Th-they're gone ! "

" What do you mean they're gone ! " Anne yelled, not tall enough to see with the other two in front of her.

" I mean they're gone ! … and I don't feel that hot … " he muttered as he leaned against Ericel.

" That's the problem. You _are_ hot, and I'm starting to be too. " he groaned. Suddenly, Daisuke froze as he looked into the window of the doors.

" What ? What is it ? " Anne asked in worry.

" I see it. I think it in the room ! " he said as the Zetsumei appeared out of thin air. Daisuke gasped in shock as it looked at him with it's evil eyes …

" What the … " Ericel said groggily as he looked through the window and only saw a dark shadow … that moved on its own …

" Oh my … " Anne said as she saw the door labeled ROOF ACCESS close on its own.

" It's going towards the roof … we have to … " Daisuke said as he lost his footing and fell against Ericel. Suddenly, Dr.Mizuki came down the hall and she noticed the trio right away.

" Wha- Daisuke ! What are you doing up ! You look horrible ! Ericel, you too ! You boys are supposed to be in bed ! "

" No ! " the moaned as they moved back against the wall.

" Yes ! You two are coming with me ! " she said forcefully as she grabbed Daisuke's shoulders.

" No ! " he shouted as he pushed her down onto the ground.

" Sorry ! " Anne yelled back as they made their escape.

" Security ! Come to the children's ward immediately, we have a situation ! " she yelled into the phone on the wall as she started after them.

" Hold it there ! " two security guards called as they rushed forward. Ericel spotted the stairwell exit while Daisuke and Anne communicated through their eyes.

" Oh my god, snakes ! " she screamed as she started frantically swiping at herself.

" Snakes, SNAKES ! Get them off me ! Please ! Snakes, snakes ! " she shrieked as the two boys ran towards the stairs.

" Help me please ! Snakes ! They're everywhere ! Snakes ! " she continued on, fooling the guards until Dr.Mizuki arrived.

" Not her ! The boys ! " she yelled as the guards stared at Anne.

" … Oh look, no more snakes. "

**--**

" Now while we're still alive, what's your plan to beat this thing ? " Ericel asked.

" Violence. " Daisuke said simply. After he heard Ericel chuckle, he had to ask.

" Aren't you afraid of death ? " he asked.

" Of course I am. But I trust in you … but I don't really trust your plan. That's why I have a backup plan. " he smiled.

" What's that. "

" My own violence. " he grinned, even though he felt awful. Soon enough, they heard screams as they ran up and opened the door onto the roof. Daisuke and Ericel both gasped in horror as they saw Erie screaming in vivid fright.

" Aaaggghhh ! GET IT OFF ME ! " he screamed as the Zetsumei was sitting on top of him, trapping him. He pulled off his hat and looked down at Erie while he just screamed his small head off. Suddenly, the white eyes of the demon seemed to … sprout out and grow into pods ! It slowly moved out of the socket and was slowly moving down to Erie's head !

He screamed the loudest ever as it descended on its forehead, and started draining. Until … wham !

" You make me sick ! " Daisuke growled, meaning it literally. He dropped the fire extinguisher he was holding when he noticed it had a large dent in it. He watched wide-eyed as the Zetsumei stood up unharmed at all.

" Damn. " he cursed as he slightly swayed. Being sick while fighting wasn't the best thing. He looked over to the side and saw that Ericel was taking the children and taking them back to the stairs.

" Come on now. Hurry up, we have to get you back inside. " Ericel tried to rush them as he looked back. His temperature wasn't as high as Daisuke's, but he could see the outline of the thing Daisuke was fighting.

Daisuke punched it, then punched it again. As he tried to spin kick it, it caught his foot and threw him over to the side. Daisuke flipped up and quickly balanced himself, getting ready.

" Umph ! " he grunted as he got a solid kick to his stomach. When the demon walked over, he swung his leg in a hard sweep, making him fall down. As he got up, the Zetsumei's long tendrils grew sharp as he swiped at him, cutting up his shirt. As it swung again, Daisuke hit it away and immediately counterattacked with another punch.

" Hi-yah ! " he heard a battle cry as the monster suddenly flew to the side.

" Ok, whoa. " Ericel said as he held his head in dizziness.

" Are the kids safe ? " Daisuke sighed at his friend's goofiness at a time like this as he moved next to him.

" Yeah, Anne got them. Threw the guards off our tracks too. " he said as he saw Zetsumei getting up.

" Remind me to thank her later. " he said as he got ready.

" You're gonna have to tell her yourself. " Ericel smiled as he slightly spread his legs apart, moving his arms in a circular motion until they were positioned correctly in front of his chest.

" Aaaggghhh ! " it roared as it charged. As it lashed out with a punch, Daisuke blocked it and quickly hit it back. It recovered quickly and tried to slash Ericel, but he moved to the side and dodged, hitting his still extended arm with his elbow and smacking him in the chest, sending him flying back.

" Whoa … " Ericel fell to the ground as the dizziness overwhelmed him …

" Eric ? " but in that moment that Daisuke used to check up on his friend, the monster flashed behind them and grabbed them both by the neck. Squeezing until he lifted them off the ground … cutting off their air supply.

" Looks like I won't be able to thank Anne after all … " Daisuke wheezed out as he tried to fight off his opponent.

" I think you can thank me. And you're welcome. " The boys looked on in surprise as they heard the familiar voice. They watched in surprise as Anne rushed the opponent, tackling him away from the boys and driving him off the roof !

" Whoa … how did you see him ? " Ericel asked in surprise.

" I didn't … I was just lucky. " she smiled. And they thought it was all over, but he was still hanging there on the other side of the building. When they were all heading back towards the stairs, he came from behind and grabbed Anne !

" Aaaggghhh ! " the boys turned around in shock as they saw Anne being chocked by the demon. They attempted to charge it but he raised one of its fingers … pointing to the vulnerable Anne.

_' There's a way to save her … '_ he had no idea where it came from … but he didn't hesitate.

" _How ? _" he whispered.

_' Are you willing to make a contract with me ? ' _the voice asked. Daisuke strangely found comfort in the strong voice.

" _Yes_." he answered immediately.

' _Are you willing to put what's most important to you on the line ? '_

" _Yes_." he answered again.

Suddenly, a white glow filled the entire rooftop as a ring appeared on Daisuke's finger. All the white energy went straight into a rose on top of the ring and the light was gone.

" Let her GO ! " he screamed at Zetsumei as something invisible shot forward. Ericel could see it bending the gravity as it passed through it, but it was so fast that it shot right into the demon, knocking him straight into an opposing wall … decimating him.

" Ok … " Ericel said slowly as he ran over to the coughing Anne. When she stopped, they looked at the bewildered Daisuke in question.

" What was that ? " Anne asked. Ericel was sure that she didn't see it as she was almost unconscious, but he knew she felt something about it.

" I don't know really. Maybe just a strong gust of wind ? " he said lamely. Ericel just gave him an unbelieving look at that. Daisuke quickly moved his left hand behind his back, trying to hide the ring but Ericel already noticed it.

" Sure … maybe I have a guardian angel ! " she said sarcastically … kind of. She didn't exactly dismiss that idea even though it was pretty paranormal. But hey, she just helped kill a demon, who knows what was in this world.

Suddenly, all of their minds flashed to when they were knocked out that one morning, but only Daisuke had a slight idea of what happened.

**--**

" Oh my god ! The fresh air ! " Daisuke yelled as he and Ericel were out for a walk. When Ericel wasn't looking, he held the ring up to his finger and tried talking to it again, but that voice never came back.

_' Maybe it was a once in a lifetime chance … '_ he decided. It was pretty cool though, all the energy welling up inside him in that one instant … and he used it to save Anne.

" Ok, the jig is up. " Ericel sighed as he pulled out Daisuke's left hand.

" What are you doing ? " he asked in surprise, trying to pull his hand back.

" Either tell me what's going on, or I'm telling Anne you're getting married. " he said, noticing it was on his ring finger.

" Uhh … well actually … " and he explained it to his best friend, without trying to sound crazy.

" Really. And you can't take it off ? " he asked as he pulled at the ring and it easily came off.

" How did you do that ? " he asked it shock.

" Never mind. Do you believe me ? "

" Ummm … I'm not saying I don't believe you … I mean, after all that happened but- "

" Hey you two ! " They both turned to the voice in surprise.

" Ms.Katsuragi ! " they shouted in disbelief and it was indeed Misato Katsuragi. She had on a tight blue shirt and a leather skirt, her violet hair flowing behind her and she was donning a pair of sunglasses.

" Come here you two. " she smirked as she pulled down her sunglasses.

" Uhh … if it's about all the school we missed, we were in the hospital … " Daisuke said stupidly while Ericel just glared at him.

" Oh no ! No, not that ! " she started laughing.

" You were there, weren't you ? " Ericel said observantly as many of the things were convenient for them, no guards at the late Dr.Yue's office, Anne's easy manipulation of the guards …

" Hey there. I knew you were a special student the moment I laid eyes on you ! " Ericel realized that she was still the same goofy Home Ec. Teacher, so he lessened his stare a bit, but he was still cautious.

" What do you want ? " Ericel asked.

" I'm just here to help. But only if you explained to me what happened that night. " Misato said seriously.

" Why would we tell you that ? " Daisuke asked curiously.

" Or else I might have you arrested. " she said as she pulled out her badge.

**--**

**Another chapter done ! Out first main character experiences his powers, and it's the return of Misato Katsuragi ! If you remember her from Neon Genesis Evangelion, don't worry, she's still has the same persona. So don't worry, not an evil character. Hope you review !**


	7. School is Fun isn't it ?

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 7**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996 ! Thank you once again !!**

When she saw their frightened looks, Misato just burst out laughing.

" I-I'm sorry ! I shouldn't be laughing ! … hahahaha ! " she laughed the entire time while Ericel's eyebrow twitched. Suddenly, Daisuke stopped chuckling when he saw Anne stick her head out of the police car.

" Anne ? " he called.

" Oh, hey you guys ! " she smiled as she remembered how she was taken …

( _Think a chibified version of Anne walking down the street. Then a giant car comes by and a chibi Misato sticks her head out, shocking Anne. She reaches out with her powerpuff-looking round hand and pulls Anne in, lightning bolts floating atop her head._ )

" Don't worry, I'm not going to arrest you or anything. _But_, I still don't understand what happened at the hospital and how all damages to the building were brought out, so if you don't give me a reasonable explanation, you're gonna have to pay for the damages. " and Anne got out of the car as they explained it as best as they could.

**--**

The three teenagers watched again as she burst out laughing.

" You expect me to believe that ? " she said between laughs. As they all stared at her seriously, she slowly stopped laughing and regained composure.

" You know that's story is almost impossible right ? " she asked. They looked at each other before turning back to her. Suddenly, Ericel's eyes opened as he thought of something.

" Why were you following us in the first place ? " he asked with a quirked eyebrow. Suddenly, she started smiling sheepishly and he gasped.

" You're on our case ! Oh my god ! Our Home Ec. Teacher's on our police case ! " he said unbelievingly.

" Why ? What's so bad about that ? " she asked but then remembered the second day of school …

" Wait, don't answer that. " she said as she raised her hand.

" Ok, I'll tell you this. I might believe you, 'cause we don't know all about the world. And I guess you don't have to pay for the damages either. But, you have to promise me two things. " she said, holding up two fingers.

" What ? " Anne asked cautiously.

" If I have any cases that seem like anything related to what you said, we're going to investigate it. Together. " she said, already knowing that they'll try to find out more about this, but they're not doing it unsupervised.

" Fine. And the other ? " Ericel asked, though he knew it wasn't probably anything too bad.

" You have to maintain a grade B average throughout the entire year. And you need to always have an A in my class. " she smiled at their shocked faces.

" Now that is not just right ! " Daisuke said.

" Hey, this is dangerous territory enough, and you guys seem to have first-hand experience so I might need you. But, you're going to have to earn your right to participate in the field. " she said, knowing that Ericel and Daisuke were already taking it seriously … but she didn't know about Anne.

" … fine. " Daisuke and Ericel pouted with their arms crossed, but when Anne didn't say anything, they looked at her in question.

" Of course ! " she said quickly. She just hesitated because of this strange occurrence, not because she was unwilling to participate.

" Good ! Then I'll see you in class tomorrow ! " she waved to them as she put on her glasses and hopped into her car, driving off in a flash.

" That was strange. " Daisuke finally said.

" Yeah … ok then, want to go home ? " he asked as the other two nodded.

**--**

" Hi-yah ! " Daisuke cried out as he ran into a flying side kick. Ericel moved to the side and grabbed his leg, directing the flow of the attack another direction and easily deflecting it.

" You're gonna have to do better than that. " Ericel smirked. Daisuke smiled too as he launched out multiple strikes, but Ericel was able to block all of it. When Daisuke did a low punch, Ericel grabbed his wrist and turned, throwing him down to the ground as he spun away. Anne was watching from the porch, remembering their old times.

" Hey you three ! Want a drink ? " Eriol called out as he stuck his head out to the backyard, picking up the empty bags of chips that Daisuke finished.

" Yes please ! " they called out.

" And another bad of cheetos ! " he called out as he flipped up and continued attacking Ericel.

" You ate the last bag. " Eriol said.

" No, there's another bag behind the raisins. " he smiled as he tried to flip Ericel, only for him to flip along and stay grounded. Eriol smiled and went back inside.

" Yo, you're dad's holdin' up on the cheetos. What's up with that ? " he asked as he moved over to the porch and sat down in one of the chairs for rest. As Ericel shrugged, he sat down next to Daisuke and noticed he had put the ring back on.

" Hey you guys, you have mail ! " Eriol said as he came outside, holding a large envelope.

" It's from Erie ! " Daisuke said as he opened it.

" The kid from the hospital ? " Anne asked as Ericel nodded. They looked at the picture and smiled.

" How … colorful. " Eriol chuckled nervously as he saw the three of them standing over a dead mass of red. Ericel turned it over and realized there was a message on it.

" He says he and his sister Maria finally got better. They're at home now and they're not afraid of the dark anymore. " Daisuke said as he read it. They smiled, when they realized that they still had to get read for school the next day.

" I'm so glad its Friday tomorrow. " Daisuke sighed.

**--**

" Oh my god Anne ! Where have you been this week ! " Anne's friend Tina said in her booming voice. She tied her long black hair into a braid as she waited for her friend.

" I've been busy. " she responded nervously. Tina quirked her eyebrow at that, but just went along with it.

" Come on, the others are waiting ! " Even though she was small, she was able to drag Anne along easily.

" So, meet up again at lunch ? " Daisuke asked as he moved to open his locker.

" Yeah, see you after algebra. " Ericel sighed as he got to his locked on the opposite side.

**--**

Daisuke was in History class, and as he listened to his teacher drone on and on, he just fell asleep !

_' Hello. '_

" _It's you ?_ "

_' Of course it is ! ' _it yelled.

" _Where have you been ? There's so many thing I need to talk to you about ! _"

_' Hey hey hey ! I will not tolerate you talking to me like that ! ' _suddenly, out of the darkness came a panther.

" _Ok … is that you ? _" Daisuke asked slightly nervously as he inched towards it.

_' Of course it is you imbecile ! '_ it spoke to him telepathically.

" _Yup, it's you alright. _" he sighed as he scratched the back of his head, not even afraid of it.

_' Hey ! '_

" _Stop yelling ! I can hear you_ ! " Daisuke whined as he held his ear. Strangely, the panther cocked his head in question, then the voice came again.

_' Daisuke. Daisuke. Wake up ! ' _

" Daisuke, wake up ! " he jerked awake and realized he was still in class. Daisuke looked around and realized everyone was chucking at him. He wiped the drool from his face and looked at the angry teacher.

" Can you repeat what I just said ? " she asked.

" Uhh … Daisuke wake up ? " he smile sheepishly.

**--**

" Anne … careful with that beaker. " Ericel said as he steadied her hand. They were in the same class but they didn't notice each other until they were just grouped together for a project.

" Are you sure this is going to work ? " she asked nervously as she swished the diet coke around in the beaker. Their assignment was very easy. The teacher had laid out a table of items, and they just had to create a reaction between two of them.

" Hey, trust me. " Ericel smiled as he put on his goggles and was about to pour a tablespoon of sugar in, but he stopped suddenly.

" Why are you stopping ? " she asked.

" I just got another fun idea. " he smiled as he put the sugar away and pulled out something from his pockets.

" Mentos ? " she wondered.

" Exactly. " and before she could react, he dumped in a tablet and it exploded into a fountain, wetting them and the table around them.

" Cool. " Ericel smiled, but he stopped when he saw the teacher eyeing their table.

" Hehe."

**--**

" Where were you during lunch ? " Daisuke asked in the locker room as Ericel threw his backpack into his locker.

" Detention. " he smiled while Daisuke just rolled his eyes. They switched out of their uniform and hurriedly put on their PE clothes as they ran outside.

" Hello kids. Today's is just easy. Don't ask what we're going to do today, because it's only one word. Basketball. " she smiled as she twirled it. The students watched in amazement as their pony-tailed teacher who was easily clumsy made an easy 3-pointer.

" Let's go. Two against Two. " she said as she blew her whistle. There were six games going at once, boys first. The girls were just cheering for today. Anne and her friends walked by as it was their free period, and they spotted the game.

" Let's watch. " Tina suggested as they moved to the bleachers. Anne smiled as she saw her two friends playing. Daisuke was good at almost every sport, but Ericel was only good at one sport, and guess what it is …

" Umph ! " as the opposing team tried to take a shot, Daisuke easily block it and stole it. He threw the ball to Ericel who was at the half-line, and he shot and made it !

" Being strong is so useful. " he smiled as Ms.Melissa Garcia blew her whistle.

" Go you guys ! " Tina cheered for them, making them shoot their head up in surprise.

" Oh, it's only Tina. "

" I heard that ! " she screamed making them all sweat drop. Tina was also one of their old friends turned popular … well, she was already popular but she was just a bit too loud for them.

" Go you guys ! " Anne shouted encouragingly as they waved to her.

" Look, its freshmen. Why don't we show them who really runs this court. " Daisuke and Ericel looked over and saw a couple of seniors. They saw their attractive leader, they couldn't really remember his name but they realized he was the varsity captain, most popular jock.

" Sure, why don't we. " Daisuke said, as Ms.Garcia watched with interest. As they got into position, Ms.Garcia whistled and the jumped for the ball. Ericel got it and Daisuke caught it as he ran towards the basket. Suddenly, he realized the ball was missing and he saw the opposing team had the ball.

" I don't think so. " Ericel said as they tried to shoot it, but he jumped and smashed it back to Daisuke, but the varsity captain caught it and made a basket. They couldn't believe he made a shot so easily as he smiled smugly at them.

Anne watched in interest as her friend almost played an even game against the jock, even though they never made a basket, but they sure made the other team work for their points. Suddenly, Ms.Garcia blew her whistle and they realized that it was almost the end of P.E.

Ericel and Daisuke glared at the jock as he looked down at them condescendingly.

" I gonna kick his ass next time. " Ericel muttered as Daisuke rolled his eyes.

" Gilbert ! That's his name ! " Daisuke snapped his fingers as he remembered. They walked into the locker rooms and into the showers. When Gilbert strutted past them smugly in all his glory, Ericel's jaw dropped.

" Snap out of it ! " Daisuke said as he pushed his jaw up and smacked him across the face.

" That is so unfair. He is too boastful, he doesn't deserve all of … that. " he said, moving his fingers wildly while Daisuke just rolled his eyes … again.

**--**

When they were all dressed, they met up with Anne as they went into the back building towards their Home Ec. Class. When they came to the entrance, they were early but then they heard a phone go off. Ericel and Anne pulled out their cells and realized it was coming from inside the building.

Misato flipped up her phone and then closed it angrily.

" Stupid Kaji. " she muttered. Then she noticed them standing outside so waved them in.

**--**

" Class, measure carefully now … no, too much ! " she yelped as Anne accidentally dumped a cupful of sugar into her mixing bowl. Anne smiled sheepishly then apologized to her group.

" Ok, switch. " Ericel switched with Daisuke from using the pastry blender and measuring the ingredients. By the time class was finished, Daisuke and Ericel's group had a dozen of fresh baked cookies, and Anne had these things … that were blobs which were as hard as rock.

" Here Anne, catch. " Daisuke said as he threw a cookie over to her and she caught it without looking up.

" Thanks. " she said as she bit into it, looking at the rest of her groups' glares.

" What ? They're my friends ! " she defended her cookie rights.

**--**

" Before you leave, catch ! " Misato called. She threw three badges towards the teenagers as they each caught it and peered at it in question.

" Don't lose those. They signify you association with NERV. " she said as she walked to her car.

" Wait, what's NERV ? I thought you were just a police officer. " Daisuke said.

" Well, I am. Just a special one. " she winked at them before she drove off.

" School is fun isn't it ? " they turned as Tina bounded towards them.

" Sure, fun. " Ericel said sarcastically.

**--**

**Finally, an ending that's not a cliffhanger ! Hope you review, and I'll update soon ! **


	8. Never Go to a Horror Film, Part 1

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 8**

**Love you all ! Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996 ! Thank you once again !! **

" Thank you Davis. Your welcome Davis. " It was Friday already, and nothing else strange had happened. When they got to school, Ericel, Anne, and Tina cocked their head to the side when they saw Daisuke sitting and talking to himself while smiling.

" Creepy. " Tina commented.

" Do you always talk to yourself ? " Daisuke looked up as Ericel sat down next to him in the hall while Anne and Tina moved to their crowd.

" Hey. " he greeted. He yawned before he turned to open his locker.

" Yo. Anyway, it's finally the weekend ! What are we gonna do ? " Ericel asked as he looked up into his friend's messy locker.

" I dunno. Sorry though, but I'm busy today so I can't hang out till tomorrow. " he said as he got out his books.

" Seriously ? Aww man. Oh well, guess I'll go ask Anne. " when he turned and saw Anne was surrounded by all the 'populars' in school, he decided not to. He wasn't afraid or anything like some of the more conceited ones thought, but he didn't want to endanger Anne's reputation or anything.

" Well, then, let me see. " he mused as he pulled out his laptop and quickly browsed the web, seeing there was an old animated horror film festival.

" Interesting … " he smiled.

**--**

" Look, I'll call this girl pretending to be a ghost. " a girl said in the movie Ericel was currently watching in the theatres.

" And I'll call this girl pours hot tea on sister's head. " another girl said as she moved over to the camera.

" Wow. Either I'm that transparent or you're that good. " she commented.

" I think I won't comment to that as you still have hot liquid over my head. " Ericel smiled as he saw a shadow break the window and leap through. A man with a silver ponytail and cat-like eyes caught his view but then he just went back to the movie. When it was over, he exited the moves as he went back home.

" Hey Dad, where's Loan ? " he asked as he saw his father was all dressed up, probably for another date.

" She's staying the night at Tran's. Don't wait up for me, I'll be out all night. " Eriol smiled.

" Another date ? " Ericel asked.

" Yup. " his dad smiled as he put on his shoes.

" Go get her. " Ericel pumped his fist into the air unenthusiastically as he fell onto the living room couch.

" Ok son. See you. " he waved goodbye as he locked the door behind him. Ericel was just watching television when he just nodded off. Suddenly, he heard the doorbell ring and he woke up by falling off the couch.

" Fabulous. " he muttered as he straitened up and blew his hair out of his face. Ericel opened the door to the same silver-haired man before, but he was wearing a cloak that was all too similar.

" Excuse me, can I help you ? " suddenly, the man threw a punch into Ericel's gut as he flew across the room and crashed into a chair, breaking it.

" You miserable _ryoushi_. " he muttered as he looked at Ericel in deathly anger.

" If you don't have anything nice to say, " he turned around to see Daisuke fly in and land a knee into his stomach. The surprise eased off as he threw Daisuke over him and ran out the door.

" And then there were two. " was the last thing he said before taking off.

" Ow, ow, ow. " Daisuke moved over and helped Ericel up as he rubbed his back.

" We gonna follow him ? " he asked.

" Hell yeah ! " Ericel said as he jumped up. They ran out the door and saw that he was running to a place Ericel knew too well. Ericel looked over as they were running and realized that Daisuke was wearing his martial arts uniform, and noticed something different about his friend's belt.

" So that's why you were busy today ? " Ericel asked.

" Oh, this ? Yeah, I tested for an upgrade. I'm now a 7th degree black belt, a master. " Daisuke smiled before concentrating on running. When they turned the corner, they saw the brightly lit movie theatre on Loaker and the cloaked running into it. As they ran in, Ericel realized that the movie showing tonight was Ryo-Ohki.

**--**

" Ryoko ! Stop it ! " the main lead Tenchi Misaki was yelling at his space pirate of a friend as she floated about and smirked. It was actually one of those old films, black and white and they still talked like in the olden days. ( Yes, it's the Tenchi Muyo show but hey, this is an anime crossover so this story is actually an anime. And anime in anime is like real life to them … right ? )

" Can't believe they made us pay. " Ericel grumbled angrily as he and Daisuke walked down the aisle, realizing it was empty except for one person.

" There he is ! " Daisuke pointed as he saw the cloaked man smiling at them before running through the seats.

" Whoa ! Watch it ! " yelled a fat teenager as Daisuke and Ericel hurried past him.

" Sorry. " Daisuke muttered as he got to the other end and punched the man. He blocked and did a low sweep as Daisuke jumped over it and did a high kick, aiming for his head.

" You are all still so weak. " he smiled as he blocked it and kicked him away easily. He turned in time as Ericel grabbed his arms and threw him over him onto the aisle of chairs.

" Ya ! " Ericel struck out a kick as the man lashed out a punch. They hit each other equally as they were forced back. The man threw a low kick but Ericel blocked it with his palms as he used the force to push himself up and do the splits on the row of seats.

" Hmmm. " he said in interest as he jumped to the next row, but Ericel flipped down to the row also but then he was picked up with a mighty strength and thrown against the wall. He quickly skipped down the rows till he reached the exit.

The man ducked just in time as Daisuke did a flying side kick. Daisuke reached out to punch him but the man snapped and a cloud of smoke appeared. When it cleared, Daisuke and Ericel realized that he was gone.

" That was the coolest thing I've ever seen. " the teenager said in awe. But they had left too soon as they didn't see the same man in the movie … smiling at them before the screen flashed off.

**--**

" What the hell ! " Ericel gasped as he saw the actual wreckage in the house. He sighed as he got two brooms and threw one to Daisuke. As he started cleaning, he remembered the man was at the theatre from before.

_' He followed me home. He was at the theatres and followed me home ! '_

**--**

" If we're going to keep getting attacked, why can't we fight one that cleans things up instead of destroying them ! " Ericel frowned as he finally finished cleaning up.

" Like that really big bald guy, Mr. Clean. I could so totally take him on. " Daisuke smiled as he put the brooms away. Ericel just rolled his eyes as he yawned. He looked over at the clock and saw it was midnight !

" Ok, thanks. But I'll see you tomorrow then ? " Ericel waved goodbye to his friend as he moved to his room and just fell asleep.

**--**

" Yes, talk to anyone in the movie theater at the time … Well, find out what happened before the fight broke out. No, I got a location so just hurry up and go. " Misato sighed as she flipped her violet hair back. She pulled out her gun and slipped it onto a strap under her leather skirt.

" Hello my dear students. " she smiled as she slipped on her sunglasses and reached out for a certain paper.

**--**

" Hello ! " Misato yelled out cheerfully as a disoriented Ericel opened the door. Eriol came out from behind in the same messy state as his son. When he saw the beautiful woman, he straightened immediately.

" H-hello ! C-can I help you ? " he nervously stuttered.

" Why yes ! I'm just your son's teacher and I'm here … because … of a home visit ? " she said lamely, chuckling as she just realized how ridiculous it sounded. Ericel sighed into his hands while his dad looked at him in question.

" It's ok dad. " Ericel said as his father nodded and went back into the house. Misato just smiled at him as he walked outside and ran next door, Misato following him lazily.

" Hey … whoa. Why is our teacher here ? " Daisuke asked in surprise as Misato waved happily.

" Why don't you two get dressed ? Don't worry, I can wait. " she grinned as they went back into their respective houses.

**--**

" Come on you two, get in. " she smiled as she showed them her Mercedes. They were wide-eyed as they gently climbed aboard and Misato hopped in on the front seat.

" Next is Anne. " she said as she started up her car and stepped on the pedal, swerving away towards Anne's house. As she drove at a dangerously fast speed down the street, they arrived at Anne's house which was a usual 5 minute drive, but they got there in just one.

" Oh, my, god. " Ericel uttered out.

" I think that was the most traumatic experience in my life. " Daisuke gasped as he held his loudly beating heart.

" Come on ! You two are both boys right ? " she said as she opened the car door and walked outside. Ericel and Daisuke opened the door and continued walking on the path to Anne's house when they Ericel suddenly stopped.

" I think I'll wait in the car. " he whispered.

" But why ? … oh. Ok, we'll be back in a bit then. " Daisuke nodded in understanding as Ericel went back into the car. Misato watched him in serious interest as she rang the doorbell.

" What's up ? " she asked as she still looked forward.

" It's nothing … it's just that not everybody in Anne's family really likes Eric. " Daisuke stopped before he revealed more than Ericel wanted people to know. Misato noticed his hesitation and made up her mind that she wasn't going to dig into this deeper unless things called for it.

" He- whoa. Why is she here ? " Anne asked Daisuke as she pointed to Misato. Daisuke was about to speak, but stopped with his mouth open when he realized he still didn't know why she was there.

" Just get dressed, I need you guys for your first assignment. " she smiled as Anne chuckled nervously.

**--**

As they drove up to the theatre on Loaker, Ericel and Daisuke gulped nervously.

" Why do I get the feeling something bad is going to happen ? " Anne quirked her eyebrow at her two friends who smiled sheepishly. It was still showing Ryo-Ohki as Misato waved her badge and they walked into the building, heading towards the security office.

" Want to see an interesting tape of what happened here the other night before the riot this morning ? " she smiled as she pressed a button on one of the security cameras. The three teenagers gaped as it showed the previous night's fight. They watched as they fought the man, only for him to hop down to the last aisle and the video to fuzz.

" … wait … " even through the fuzziness of the video, Ericel had spotted something. He ran out of the room with Misato closely following behind.

" Where is Eric going ? " Anne asked.

" What did Misato and Eric see ? "

" Ok, why is Davis not answering Anne's questions ? " she asked.

" Well, sorry. What's got your panties in a bunch ? " he asked, recoiling when he saw he was only making it worse.

" I can't believe you guys were here while it was playing Ryo-Ohki ! I love that movie ! Tenchi Misaki was like my first crush ever ! "

**--**

" Police ! This is an emergency ! Evacuate immediately ! " Misato yelled. After everyone had left the theatre empty, Ericel walked down the aisle slowly.

" What did you see ? " she asked as she moved forward too.

" We chased him down to that aisle … " Ericel tried to remember.

" And now he's in act 3. " they turned around to Anne's voice.

" Up on the screen. " Daisuke came from behind and pointed to the man smiling at them from the giant screen.

" Actually, I was just leaving. I should've known the disappearing man routine wouldn't have fooled you for long. " he smirked.

" Yeah, all you've done is piss us off. " Daisuke seethed.

" This is the world of illusion. You cannot cross between the two worlds, so you can't fight me. " he smiled.

" Ryoko ! Ryoko, where are you ? " Tenchi called as he ran through the woods. Suddenly, he spotted the man and walked towards him.

" Kagato ! I thought you said you weren't going to cause anymore- "

" Shut up ! " he yelled.

" Hey ! " Anne yelled, making Daisuke roll his eyes. Suddenly, Tenchi looked down at them and romantic music filled the screen.

" Oh. My god, I think he's looking at me. " Anne gasped.

" Hi. " he smiled handsomely.

" Hi. " she answered back while the other two just stared at her. They've never seen her like this, but hey, she _was_ a girl, she has her moments sometimes.

" Yo, hey. Sorry to put a little damp on your love connection here but we need to kick some ass. " Daisuke said, all the while Misato looked at this all cautiously.

" Oh is that what you're going to do ? Oh, how cute, how clever of you. Any idea how you intend to do that ? Oh are you just going to flirt me to death like your little tartly gal. "

" Hey, watch your language in front of the ladies. Consider that a warning. " he warned.

" Oh I'm sorry, was the word tartly gal bothering you. Well how 'bout bitch ? That go done any easier ? " Suddenly, Tenchi tackled him off the screen ! As they rolled down the steps, Kagato rolled away and ran towards the door.

" Oh no you don't ! " Misato yelled as she dove to the side and pulled out her gun in mid-air, going trigger happy.

" You're off the screen. How did you- … thanks for the inspiration you fool. " Kagato smirked before he ran out.

" Dang it ! " Ericel said angrily.

" Uhhh … guys, another problem. " Anne said as she pulled on their shoulders. They looked over and gaped at the black and white image of Tenchi Misaki.

" … hi ? "

**--**

**Muahahahaha ! So, how is this ? Like or not ? Anyways, just please review ! This is another multiple chapter plot, so if you want to know more about this mission, review ! And there's more questions to be answered too. What's up with Ericel and Anne's family, who is Misato really, who is this new enemy they're fighting, and what's going to happen now that a fictitious character is real ? Review and you'll find out !**


	9. Movie Madness, Part 2

**Celestial Students **

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 9**

**Thanks to my wonderful reviewers Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996, here comes the next chapter ! **

" So, what now ? " Ericel asked. Misato went back to the office while the group was upstairs in Daisuke's house.

" What about him ? " Anne asked as Tenchi moved about the room in wonder, asking questions that were like he was still in a movie.

" Well, you brought the fictitious play date home, you do something. "

" You're right, we should have left him at the theaters, he would have really blended in there. " Anne rolled her eyes.

" Excuse me, but isn't someone here going to explain my part to me ? " he asked.

" Well Tenchi. This is … reality, and we're all people. While you … I don't know about that yet. " she said slowly.

" Ok, so we know this thing can go from the real world to the ' World of Illusion ' or … something … and he can bring buddies along for the ride. But what does he plan to do ? " Ericel but his fingernail.

" He goes into the movies, that's where he does it. "

" Does what ? " Daisuke asked.

" First he- … wait, where's the music ? " he asked.

" What music ? "

" The dramatic music that plays when something important is about to be revealed. "

" All right. Ok then, you said he does … something to the movie, like what, to the story ? "

" No, to the audience. When they leave they're different, angry. " he said.

" So that's his thing ? He casts a spell in the movies ?" Daisuke asked.

" Wait … when I saw him in the theatre. He wasn't in the crowd, he was in the movie ! " Ericel realized.

" So if he can go into Tenchi's movie, he can go into other ones too. " Anne said.

" All right, so he's going to be in horror movies. I'll grab the paper and research. " Ericel said.

" I'm gonna go to the theatre and check it out again. " Daisuke said.

" And I'll call Ms. Katsuragi and tell her about this. " Anne said as she reached into her pocket.

" Uh … Anne, maybe you should do something about Tenchi. Add a little Technicolor to him. " Ericel smiled before he walked downstairs. Anne grinned at Tenchi nervously while he just smiled.

" So, head out then. I'll stay here in case something happens … or until I finish looking at your photos. " Ericel smiled as he grabbed a can of film.

" Hey ! " Daisuke yelled as he reached for it but Ericel just held it high above his head.

" Just go already ! I'll develop these and I'll give them back later. " he laughed while Daisuke glared at him before leaving the room. Ericel went downstairs and entered Daisuke's darkroom as he closed the door behind him and started developing the film.

**--**

As the crowd watched a woman run across the screen, they closed their eyes in disgust as they saw a man with an axe chop her up ! Suddenly, people throughout the crowd murmured as Kagato appeared on the screen.

" How would you like to do that for real ? I can get you out of here, take you to a place where the movie never ends. " he smiled as they crowd started talking. Kagato waved a hand and they all silenced.

" So, interested ? As with most things there is one catch, I … get to pick four victims. Feel free to kill anyone you like along the way, just get me those three kids and that woman. " the man nodded and stepped on the screen. The crowd was unfazed as he walked down the aisle towards the doors.

" Now ladies and gentlemen. Let's make your PG lives rated R. Who needs violence, when you can make it yourself ? " he waved a hand and a dark smoke flowed through the theatre. Suddenly, they just all started fighting each other !

**--**

" And … done ! " she smiled as she dabbed on the last bit of make-up. Now Tenchi almost looked human !

" Thanks. You know, I like it here. " he smiled.

" What do you mean ? "

" It's just that, I've always known what to say, when to appear. But ever since Kagato came, I've been able to write my own lines ! Be more like you. " he smiled.

" Well, I got to say that you were pretty good in that movie. You make me feel like a kid again every time I watch it." she smiled.

" I think you're swell Anne. " he smiled, making Anne laugh.

" Thanks. "

" Everything I've touched, said, felt. It was all scripted. But here, you have choices ! What to do, what to say ! " he said happily. Anne smiled as she saw how Tenchi resembled a little kid in excitement when the phone rang.

" Hello ? "

" Hey Anne. Thanks for the tip about the anger thing. " Misato's voice said.

" What happened ? " she asked in worry.

" Another multiplex riot, the one on Santana. One dead, four injured, and six in custody. Can you believe that ? " she sighed.

" At this point, I believe anything. " Anne said as she looked at Tenchi.

" Ok, but keep your eyes open. I think this day is going to get a lot worse before it gets better. I'll be back in a few ok ? " Misato said.

" Yeah, ok. Bye. "

" Bye. " Anne hung up and dialed another number.

" Davis ? We got our demon. "

**--**

" Oh. " Ericel smiled as he looked through the picture of Daisuke's 13th birthday party. It was the only one Anne wasn't at.

" Ok … wow. " he saw an interesting shot, but he thought something that might make it better.

" Let's flag a gradual fade on the wall behind you … and burn in the key under your chin … " he smiled as he put it under the light. When he turned away to put more pictures up, he suddenly smelled fire !

" Whoa ! " he yelped as he threw the picture in the water.

" I guess if you put something under the light for too long … it burns. " he smiled sheepishly.

" Eric ! Is it ok for me to come down ? " Anne asked as Ericel heard her coming down the stairs.

" Not really a good time ! " he yelled back as he hid the pictures.

" Well, I gotta demon-strate something for you ! " she said happily, making him look up.

" Ok, what is it ? " he asked as he pulled the curtains aside.

" Uh, once you finish your thing and I finish my thing, we really gotta go meet Daisuke, to fix the thing that we saw at the … "

" Thing. " Ericel finished for her.

" Exac- uh, I'm glad we know eachother so well. I'll be back upstairs. "

**--**

" Aaaggghhh ! " as loud music boomed, four girls on the screen ran away in fright as a white-skinned woman holding a knife walked through the door. Her pale dress was ripped up and her hair in wild directions.

" Whoa … creepy. " Daisuke said in horror at the ugliness of the woman. Suddenly, the crowd muttered as they saw Kagato walk onto the screen. As he flicked his wrist, a pale cloud flew out of the screen and silenced everyone, but Daisuke could still move and talk.

" Well I'm ok. A perk of this ? " Daisuke said aloud as he looked at his ring and realized it was glowing.

" Didn't you hear the management ? Please refrain from talking ! Oh well, I guess I'll have to kill you. Better yet … Mary ! Oh Bloody Mary ! " he called as the deathly pale woman appeared with her knife, making Daisuke gasp in horror.

" There's one of the children getting in my way. Don't stab him all in one place. " he smiled as he gently pushed her off the screen. As she started walking towards him, he called for the power at the hospital, but nothing happened.

" Ok, that didn't work but my legs still do so … " he turned and ran while Bloody Mary followed.

**--**

" I'll be right there Anne ! " Ericel called as he put some of the things away, when suddenly he heard footsteps behind him.

" Aaaggghhh ! " he screamed as he narrowly missed a large ax being swung down. He threw something at him before running up the stairs but the beanie-wearing man grabbed his leg !

" Let go ! " he gasped as he fell down the stairs. Ericel got up and sidestepped another ax swing before kicking the man down the stairs. He got up and ran through the halls in a frenzy.

" Anne ! " he called as he bounded up the stairs. Ericel opened the door to see Anne and Tenchi chatting happily while smiling.

" Hello ? Privacy ! " Anne yelled.

" Hello ?! Ax MURDER ! " Ericel yelled back before blocking the door with a desk. Ericel turned to watch the door but yelped when a crack appeared. They all ran to the back of the attic while Tenchi shielded Anne.

" Aarrgg ! " he grunted as he chopped down the door and everything in his path. The man turned and chopped open the desk and a grandfather clock nearby.

" Hey ! That was an antique you assho- " before he finished, Tenchi had covered Ericel's mouth.

" He's very, very sensitive to the language. " Anne said.

**--**

Misato was driving when she saw Daisuke being chased by a pale woman up his driveway.

" Watch out ! " she yelled as she hit the woman and sent her flying to the other side of the street, just for her to get up again and start running towards them. Misato pulled out her gun and shot at the dead person, but it did nothing !

" What the- " Misato started before Daisuke dragged her inside. He locked the door behind him and peeked through the window, seeing cars were keeping the lady busy.

" Ok, dead woman. With a knife, on her way. Misato's here, car distracting lady, … where is everybody ! " he yelled. Suddenly, he heard something crash upstairs, accompanied by multiple screams. Daisuke ran up the stairs towards it with Misato following.

**--**

" Aaaggghhh ! " they screamed as the man chopped down the shelf that was shielding them. Ericel grabbed a chair and held it in front of him but the man just chopped it in half. Ericel threw the chair parts down before backing towards the window.

" Eep ! " came a sharp noise as the man stopped. Suddenly, he fell down for them to see Daisuke and Misato behind him. They looked down and saw a knife in his back.

" Sneaky dude. " Ericel said as he jumped over the man's body.

" Eric, does this guy look familiar to you ? " Misato asked as her student looked at the body.

" Now that I get a closer look … yeah kinda. "

" When I tracked down the monster … demon dude, he sent a white pasty hag literally off the screen to kill us. I think he called her Bloody Mary. " Daisuke said.

" Yeah, and this Paul Bunyan look-alike, he's from Ax Husband, I saw that last week. " Ericel reported, making them stare at him.

" We so have to monitor your viewing habits. " Anne sighed.

" Oh ! " they all screamed as he started moving. As hey ran out of the room, he pulled the knife out of his back and got up again.

" How can we kill them ! They're fiction ! " Misato yelled as she led them downstairs.

" You can't kill something that doesn't exist ! " Ericel replied.

" Aaaggghhh ! " they all screamed as Bloody Mary appeared out of nowhere. Tenchi immediately leaped forward and took a stab that was aimed at Anne.

" Tenchi ! " she cried out in surprise.

" … I'm ok ! I have something in common with the bad guys ! Run ! " he called as he threw Bloody Mary down and they all separated. Anne ran into the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

" Uh, uh … oh ! " Anne was breathing hard as she spotted the shower and jumped inside, pulling the curtains around her. She held her beating heart, then froze as she looked around.

" I'm being stalked by psycho killers and I hide in the shower !? " she screamed quietly at her stupidity. Anne stopped when she heard the door open and creak as it was slowly pushed closed. She crouched down as she heard footsteps approaching and a shadow looming over her. As it reached towards the curtains, Anne braced herself.

" Aaaggghhh ! Aaaggghhh ! " Misato and Anne screamed as they jumped around in fright.

" Ok, ok. " Anne said, trying to calm down as Misato helped her out.

" Oh, oh. At least they're not in bathroom with us- that's-that's pretty good. " she stuttered nervously.

" Shh, shh. " Anne said, trying to make her quiet. Suddenly, they both heard the door open behind them.

" Oh please, oh please. " they whispered quietly as they turned to see …

" Pretty little girls. " Bloody Mary said in her quiet voice as Misato and Anne ran through the other doorway. They turned a corner in the hall and screamed as they bumped into something !

" Aaaggghhh ! " the all screamed loudly as they hit Daisuke, Ericel, and Tenchi.

" Whoo ! " Daisuke yelled, pretending he didn't just scream like a girl.

" Ok, whew. " Misato calmed herself as she held the frantic Anne's arm.

" Ok, I think I figured out, how to kill these guys. " Ericel said between breaths. He was trying to stop breathing so hard that he didn't notice the shadow coming from behind him.

" Uhh … Eric … behind you … " Anne whispered as she pointed behind him. He cautiously looked behind him and screamed as the ax man appeared behind him. Tenchi dove forward and tackled him down.

" Tenchi ! " Anne called in worry as he held down the struggling man.

" Don't worry, I can't get hurt remember. You guys go, I think I can hold him down. " Tenchi yelled over his shoulder as the group ran up the stairs into the attic. Anne yelped as she leaped through the shards of glass as they made it to a safe spot.

" Ok, here's what I got. Tenchi said that the only thing he knows is what was written was in the script. So I think that the only way you can kill those things is the way they were killed in the movie. " Ericel said.

" What ? But I'm a romantic comedy girl ! Why would I watch horror movies when they come to us ? " she said as they looked at her.

" So it's up to you. " Daisuke said as he looked towards him.

" Miss me ? " they turned around yelped as they saw Bloody Mary at the door with her knife.

" Mr. Paul Bunyan was electrocuted. " Ericel remembered.

" Ok, I'll go see if he'll stick his hand in a socket. " Misato said as she ran right past Bloody Mary. She turned to follow her, but the three teenagers called her back.

" No, over here ! " they taunted her as she turned back with an expressionless face.

" She was thrown out a window. " Ericel whispered as he looked behind him at the large window. Daisuke nodded as he decided to be the one.

" Here ! " Ericel yelled as she turned her head. You tackled her towards the doors, but she stood strong as she turned and stabbed Daisuke.

" Davis ! " Anne screamed. Suddenly, everything disappeared as she went into a bright pink void. She looked around quickly, wondering what was happening.

" _Please, just let this be all a dream_. " she said quietly, hoping that none of these bad things had ever happened.

_' I don't think it's supposed to be that easy. ' _a small voice came out of nowhere.

" _Who are you ? _" she asked as she looked around the area. Suddenly, a cute white rabbit hopped out of nowhere and cocked its head at her.

_' I'm just here to help. Do you want to help your friends ? '_

" _Of course. _" she answered almost immediately. Anne used to be into the witchcraft scene, but she stopped believing in it. After all this though, she wasn't so sure, but she was sure of one thing.

" _What do I have to do to help them ? _"

_' Just sign a contract with me ! '_ it said in a happy voice.

" _Ok. _" she said firmly.

" _Remember, you have to put what's most important to you on the line. "_

" _Yeah, I will._ "

The bunny hopped up happily and nuzzled her finger, a ring appearing. All the energy went into her bright pink ring, and it all turned back to the scene before hand.

" Davis ! " Ericel yelled out in horror as he ran to his injured friend. He gasped as he saw the amount of blood pouring out, but then his friend's body vaporized from his hands as his vision was filled with a light blue energy.

" _What's up_ " he wondered as he looked around in question.

_' Yo. '_ he heard a gleeful voice say. He turned around quickly, wondering where the scruffy voice came from.

" _Who's there ?_ "

_' Do you want to protect your friends ? ' _it asked, completely ignoring his question.

"_ Well, of course I do. _" he said without thought.

_' Good, so will you accept a contract with me ? ' _Ericel turned around and saw a small dog bound towards him. It jumped into his arms and started wagging its tail rapidly.

" _Uhh … ok._ "

" _Will you put what's most important on the line ? "_

" _If you're talking about my life, then yes, I'm ready. _"

The dog somehow gave a smile and after deciding not to answer, licked his finger, and a rose ring appeared. All the energy was filtered out as the scene went back to normal.

" What is this ? " Anne and Ericel said at the same time as they looked at their power-filled ring.

**--**

**So, how was this chapter ! Give a review and stick around, the final chapter to this mystery will be given soon !**


	10. The End of the Movies, Part 3

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher **

**Chapter 10**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996, thanks for reviewing !**

" What the- " Anne wondered as Bloody Mary dove towards her. She screamed as she raised her hands in front of her instinctively, and something exploded. When she opened her eyes, she saw a white petal float down into the room, and explode into a cloud of pink dust.

Anne watched in fright as Bloody Mary continued advancing, but then stop and look away. Anne watched in confusion as she saw Bloody Mary walk and turn around in confusion, like she couldn't see …

" Oh my god. " Ericel said as he looked around the strangely fogged up room, and then back to Daisuke's bleeding body.

" Come on, I need to help him ! " Ericel begged to his ring, before it glowed a bright azure. As he slowly opened his palm, a sphere of shining water formed into his hands. He had no idea what was going on, but he slowly placed the orb of water onto Daisuke's back and watched as the clear liquid glowed even brighter.

When the light cleared, he saw that the wound was healed ! Daisuke groaned as he raised his head and placed his hand on the side of his head, shaking off the dizziness.

" Hi-yah ! " Anne yelled out as Bloody Mary foolishly went in front of the window. She jumped up and grabbed onto a ledge as she kicked forward and sent Bloody Mary out the window. When the smoke cleared, they all ran over to the broken window.

" Whoa. " they said as they saw Bloody Mary burn up like a roll of film.

" One down- " Ericel said.

" –And one to go. " Anne finished.

" Misato ! " they yelled as their teacher came flying through the door and landed on the floor in pain.

" Yeah, he wasn't uh, very receptive to the plan. " Misato said as she stood up and ran towards them. Suddenly, the ax man came in and they nervously gripped each others arms as they slowly moved back.

" Oohh … hi … " Daisuke said slowly as he moved back. Anne spotted something to the left and pulled the bucket of water in front of Ericel while he just looked at her strangely. She stared at him until he finally got it while she rolled her eyes.

" Take it. " she said quietly as he looked down at his ring.

" It's ok. The man is here to save the day. " Tenchi yelled as he came in while they all turned to look at him.

" Tenchi, it's the 21st century, it the woman's job to save the day. " Misato said as she looked to the side and saw a small electric heater.

" And the children's. " Daisuke added while Ericel hit his forehead with his palm.

" Oh … ok. " Tenchi said as he back away. When the ax man charged, Misato picked up the electrical device and threw it at him, which he stupidly caught. Then, Ericel gave a hard wave of his hand as the water flew out of the bucket and straight towards the man, electrocuting him. They watched as sparks flew and he collapsed, burning away like Bloody Mary.

" … Wow. " Tenchi said, impressed.

" It's over. " Anne sighed.

" No, don't ever say that. Every time someone says that in the movies, something always- " he didn't finish before the bell rang and they all turned their heads quickly to the door in unison.

" Let go ! " Ericel whispered as he shrugged Daisuke off him. As they proceeded closer and closer to the door, they got more frightened as they didn't know what to expect. As eerie music played in the background, they finally got to the door.

Ericel slowly reached out, and was about to turn the knob when-

" It's Kaji ! " they heard an unfamiliar voice say, making them all freeze.

" … OH ! " Misato suddenly explained loudly, making them all scream.

" It's my partner ! " she said, making them all sigh with relief.

**--**

" I have to go back to HQ you guys, there have been more problems throughout the area and they need me. " Misato said as Kaji waited for her in the car.

" It's ok, we can handle it from here. " Daisuke waved goodbye as she left. When she closed the door, they all moved to Daisuke's living room couch and relaxed.

" … So … is it over ? " Tenchi finally asked.

" No even close. We don't know how many more are out there, and we can't stop this guy from tampering with the audience so … " Ericel trailed off.

" We have to find this guy before it gets any worse. " Anne said.

" Yeah, but we don't know where he is. " Daisuke said begrudgingly.

" I know where he's going to be tonight. " Tenchi suddenly said.

" Kagato didn't just go into my movie today, he's been there before. Every time we go to a new city … "

" He's traveling … in the print ? " Anne suggested.

" And tonight's the last night in the city. That's where he's going to be ! " Ericel exclaimed.

" Alright, so the midnight show will be his final performance. We can't fight him in our world … " Daisuke said.

" So we'll have to go into his. " Anne smiled.

" And I think I know how. " she continued.

" So then, let's go to the movies ! " Ericel grinned along.

**--**

" Tenchi ! You're back, I missed you ! Ayeka's been … you brought … company … " Ryoko noticed them as they walked into the theatre, the same old fat teenager still in the theater … sleeping.

" … Anyway, these people, are here to help. " he said as Anne pulled out four small bottles filled with a thick green liquid.

" What the heck is this !? " Ericel asked as he scrunched up his face.

" Hey, you aren't the only one with books on the supernatural. Just trust me on this. " she said, making him sigh.

" Well, couldn't you have at least made it _look_ like it tasted good ? " Daisuke asked in disgust as he looked at it. Anne glared at him before both her and Tenchi opened the plug and drank it all in one gulp. They threw it over their shoulders as they heard a resounding clash before Tenchi walked up to the screen, and stepped right into the movie.

He held his hand out to Anne, as she reached for it and stepped into the picture. Meanwhile, Ericel, Ryoko, and Daisuke were watching them, Ericel trying not to laugh while Ryoko was giving Anne daggers.

" Whoa, check me out. I'm retro. " Anne laughed onscreen.

" Well, here goes … I want to say nothing … but I don't think I can … so, here goes my life ! " he said as he drank it all in one gulp and smashed the bottle on the ground.

" Eew ! It tastes like an ass- " he stopped when he saw Tenchi staring at him.

" –phalt. " he said as he jumped onto the picture.

" And now, onto the final climax ! " Kagato suddenly came out of nowhere as the teenager woke up and threw Daisuke on the ground. As he tried to tackle him, Daisuke pressed a foot to his chest and kicked him away.

" Don't injure him, he's under a spell ! " Anne reminded him.

" Anne behind you ! " he yelled to the screen as they both turned and right hooked their opponent.

" Ok, deep down, I know that you're an innocent and I'm not supposed to hurt you, " and as the teenager came rushing towards him, Daisuke pulled back his fist and punched him across the theatre.

" But I can. Sleep tight film-boy. " Daisuke turned to see them all beating Kagato up mercilessly, even with Ryoko fling energy blasts at him. But then, he just started laughing as Anne and Ericel got into a fighting stance.

" Hahaha, you're out of your league. In fact, you're out of your world. Didn't anyone tell you what happens when the movie ends, and your still in it ? No, well I would explain it to you, but we're out of time. " he smirked as the booming music lessened.

" Davis ? " Ericel called.

" Eric, Anne ? Get out of there, quick ! " he called back, but they couldn't hear him or something.

" Ow ! " Anne muttered as she and Ericel tried to run back to the screen, but they just crashed into an invisible wall.

" Davis, why's it getting dark ? " Anne asked in a frightened voice as they felt the wall. The screen flashed THE END, but Daisuke could still hear them, but only faintly. He looked around, and bounded up the stairs to the projection room. He burst through the door, to see the guy taking care of it was asleep.

" Uhh … how the hell do you reverse this thing !? " he said frantically as he ran to the projector. Suddenly he found the switch, and he hurriedly pressed it as the projector slowed down, before rewinding. He watched as the scene flashed back to the scene in the woods again as he fixed the speed.

" Davis !? " Anne called.

" Get out of there, quick ! " he yelled as Anne threw another vial to Ericel. They both drank it, and were able to jump out of the movie.

" That's right, run away little _Ryoushi_." He mocked.

" You guys, I've run out of ideas. " Anne apologized.

" Oh, and you're supposed to be the perky one, don't try to be so negative. " he smirked, as Ericel saw the projector, and ran up the stairs towards it.

" So, how does it feel to know someone you can't defeat !? " he yelled after them conceitedly.

" I dunno, you tell me. " Ericel smiled as he stopped the film, freezing Kagato in the scene.

" You know what I learned today ? If you leave something under the light for too long, it burns. " he smiled as the film started to burn. Kagato started gasping in pain as the film burned, and vanished him forever.

" … Wait, where'd you learn that from ? " Daisuke asked with a quirked eyebrow.

" What ? " he asked in confusion.

" You said you learned something today about burning film … you didn't-"

" What ! " he interrupted.

" What ? "

" What what !? " he yelled, confusing Daisuke. In his state of confusion, Ericel ran away while leaving Daisuke to ponder …

**--**

" I can't believe that was how I spent my weekend ! " Ericel muttered as it was the next Monday already.

" And it's only going to get worse … " Daisuke muttered as he stared at a paper on the bulletin.

" What you lookin' at ? " Ericel asked.

" Nothing ! " Daisuke yelled as he turned quickly and covered it, making Ericel quirk his eyebrow.

" Ok, now you've piqued my interest. " he said as he gripped Daisuke by the shoulders, and easily lifted off the ground and moved him to the side.

" Oh my god, we are SO GONNA JOIN THAT ! " Ericel's eyes gleamed dangerously.

" Damn it. " Daisuke whispered. Whenever there was a competition, Ericel would join it … with a frightening passion for it.

" … no weapons allowed … mutual 3-on-3's … so a team of 3 ! " Ericel shouted as he looked around while Daisuke sweat dropped.

" Anne ! " he shouted as he ran full speed towards her.

" And I thought I could finally rest. " Daisuke sighed.

**--**

**So, how was this chapter ? Nice huh. Anyway, what competition will our team join next ? Review and you'll find out !**


	11. The New Ally ?

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 11**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996 ! Thanks you guys for reviewing !**

" Anne ! Anne ! ANNE ! " her ears picked up as she looked at saw her strangely hyper friend. He was about to jump out and reach her but Daisuke appeared out of nowhere and pulled him away. She sweat dropped as she saw the two bickering.

" But we need her ! 3 man team Davis ! "

" But it doesn't start 'till next year ! " he argued back.

" But we have to train ! It's a planned trip to the United States ! Do you know how long I've been waiting to go there !? " he yelled back, attracting many of the nearby crowds.

" Hey, we are not having this discussion again ! " they bickered like an old couple. Anne just sighed as the bell rang and they were saved. But before they left, she spotted Ericel looking at another bulletin …

**--**

It was lunch again, and the two had reconciled once again. The pair were staring hesitantly at the strange foods on their tray.

" Want to trade my cookie for your muffin ? " Daisuke asked.

" … I thought that was macaroni. " he said after awhile. They looked at each other in disgust as they pushed their trays away.

" So, what did you see after we left ? " Daisuke asked as he was about to drink his juice. He stopped as it was about to touch his lips, then looked at it slowly before he set it down cautiously.

" You'll see after school. " he smiled. Suddenly, Daisuke stopped smiling along with his friend when he saw something. Ericel looked at his gaping friend and turned to see what he was looking at. Ericel glared as he saw some known players at their school.

" Hey gals. " one of the boys named Troy said.

" Hey. " they girls replied, Anne unenthusiastically.

" Want to go out ? " another boy named Brian asked.

" I got this one. " Troy said before they even answered, trying to put his arm around Anne's shoulders.

" You'll get nothing, and like it. " she said as she shrugged him away.

" Ooh, sassy. " he replied, making Daisuke angry.

" Calm down, it'll be over right … now. " Ericel said as the bell rang. The looked around in wonder as it felt earlier than usual, but they still had to get to class.

" Later. " they said goodbye as they left for 3rd period.

**--**

" I will be substituting for Ms. Katsuragi today as she is busy with an important school event. " they sub said. Daisuke looked over as he saw Ericel trying not to laugh.

" So I guess this has something to do with what you saw today ? " he asked while his friend just nodded.

**--**

" … learning to love yourself, is the greatest, love of all. " Tina sang loudly off-note.

" TH- THANK you Tina. I-I think it will be great … yeah … " Misato said tiredly as she rubbed her temples.

" But, I didn't do the part with the sparklers yet … " she protested quietly.

" Um … we'll save that for the dress rehearsal. Linda, next ! … please ! " she called as Tina sighed and put the microphone back on the stand before leaving. Then, Misato groaned even more when Linda started playing a giant … tuba …

" Oh my god. " Misato looked up and sighed when she saw her students coming down the auditorium towards her.

" If it isn't the great producer. " Ericel laughed as he sat down next to Misato and the others took seats around. Ever since the movie incident, they've grown a lot closer. Close enough, so that the teens have learned to mock her mercilessly.

" Had to see this to believe it. " Daisuke smiled.

" Oh, you three. " she sighed as she lay back.

" The school talent show. How in the world did you get such an assignment ! " he laughed.

" The new principle … Mr. Uchiha … I think. "

" Why so ? " Anne asked.

" He said I need to participate more in school events … I think it's because I've never been to any of the mixers. " she frowned.

" Into every generation is born one who must run the annual talentless show. You cannot escape your destiny. " Ericel smiled, quoting _Buffy_.

" If you guys had a shred of loyalty, you would participate or at least … help. "

" Naw, I think we're just gonna sit back here and watch. " Ericel grinned.

" And mock. " Daisuke added as he smiled.

" And laugh. " Anne finished as they all laughed.

" Ok, I think we should leave our beloved teacher to her business called show. " Ericel smiled as they got up and were about to leave but then they met him.

" Principle Uchiha ! " Ericel stopped in surprise as they faced the intimidating teacher.

" So, we think school events are stupid and authority figures are to be made fun of. " he said in his deep voice.

" No, no. Of course we don't. " they all said.

" I heard that you three were involved in some sort of fight at the theatre ? " he quirked his eyebrow as they nervously gulped and looked at each other.

" Well, I think that we've just found three more volunteers for the school talent show. "

" Can I just mention that detention it a time, is an honored form of punishment. " Daisuke said as the others nodded along quickly.

" Don't worry. I'm sure you three will be able to come up with a wonderful act for the school to watch. And mock. And laugh … at. " he ended before walking away.

" N-NO ! " Daisuke said unbelievingly as he sat back down in a row behind Misato. Ericel whimpered as he went to sit down next to Misato, and glare at her as he saw her grin. Anne took a seat beside them and laid her head back.

" Eew, dummy. " Ericel said as he scrunched up his face at the next performance.

" … GAH ! Mime ! " Daisuke shook up in fright as he saw a mime practicing close to the stage.

" I think dummies are cute, don't you ? " Anne asked.

" No, they gave me the wig, ever since I was little. " Ericel shook his head.

" What happened ? " she asked in interest.

" I saw a dummy, it gave me the wig … there wasn't really a story there. " he replied. Then they heard a loud shout from the entrance.

" Ino, you pig ! " yelled the pink-haired woman.

" Get your big forehead out of the way Sakura ! " the blonde female yelled back. The teens turned to Misato in question.

" That's Ino and Sakura, the principle's personal secretaries. They have this enormous crush on him if you haven't figured it out. " she replied as they ran down the hall towards Sasuke's direction, leaving them all sweat dropping.

**--**

" So, I guess we'll see you later. " Ericel and Daisuke waved goodbye to Anne out back before they were about to head home. Suddenly, Daisuke's ears perked up as he heard something. He looked sharply to his left into the woods as he heard a sharp crack.

" Did anyone hear that ? " he asked. His friends looked at him in question before he ran off towards the sound. Suddenly, the pair's rings started to react and they knew something was happening.

" What's happening ? " he asked his ring as it felt ice cold. They've still been trying to communicate with the familiars that contacted them, but it didn't work.

" Davis, turn left ! " Anne called ahead to her friend as he quickly turned left upon her command. Ericel looked at her in question while she just shrugged, the thoughts just came to her. When they turned a path in the forest, the caught up with Daisuke as he stopped in front of something.

" What in the world ? " they wondered as they neared the body of the beautiful girl. She had naturally brown hair with strands of red through out her hair, a long streak of red in a long bang as it fell gently down her face.

" Damn ! I must have gone here by accident. Ow … ok, that hurt. " she said in a goofy voice as she tried to get up but just fell back down. Suddenly, she noticed the three teenagers and flipped up with amazing power.

" Get away you Akumas ! I will not be defeated that easily ! " she cried as she ran towards them with amazing speed. Ericel didn't even have time to react before he felt a sharp blow to his stomach before he flew and crashed against a tree.

" Eric ! " Anne cried as she was barely able to dodge the incoming attacks. As Anne stepped forward with her heel, she spun and was about to smack her elbow into the girl when she whispered a word.

" _Shikuchi. _" she whispered as disappeared in a haze. Anne wasn't able to defend herself as she was kicked from behind and sent flying next to Ericel.

" What's up with this ? Why are you guys so weak ? " she complained. Daisuke took the chance and lunged forward, about to strike her when she disappeared again.

" Too slow little boy ! " she said in a happy tone as she appeared behind him, about to lash out with a cop when Daisuke turned in a flash and caught her. He twisted her arm and was able to get behind her and get her in a headlock.

" What ? How did you- " she said in awe. She was still young, but no one was able to block her so easily.

" Now who are you ? " he asked in a warning tone as his two friends got up.

" Hurry up and just finish me. If I won't finish off you Akumas, the other Ryoushi will. " she said as she held her head down.

" There you go again ! Why do you keep calling us Akuma ? " Anne asked.

" And what's a Ryoushi ? We've been called that like what … twice now ? " Ericel asked as Ashant'e looked up in surprise.

" What ? You all are Ryoushi ? " she asked in surprised. Suddenly, they all could clearly see that her killing intent was gone as Daisuke slowly released her.

" What the hell is that !? " Ericel asked in frustration, not forgetting the kick she had dealt to him earlier.

" For a couple of Ryoushi, you all suck ! " she said, making them angry.

" Except for you and you. But dude, you are just weak. " she grinned as she pointed to Ericel.

" Who are you to be making fun of me !? " he cried out angrily.

" I'm Ashant'e, next to be in line of the Mugen Tenshin clan ! " she yelled back.

" Well, what the hell are you doing attacking us ! " he yelled. The other two sweat dropped. Usually when Ericel makes an enemy, he doesn't get over it easily … and it doesn't seem Ashant'e backs down from a challenge either.

" I thought you guys were freaking demons trying to kill me ! " she yelled.

" Why would you think that ? "

" Because of the way you dress ! The Akumas aren't human so they have a distinct way of dressing that clearly tells them apart from normal humans ! And look at you with those freakin' bright colors ! " she said, pointing to his clothes.

" You did _not_ just insult the way I dress ! " he glared angrily at her as she glared angrily back.

" Humph ! " they concluded as they crossed their arms and turned their backs to each other.

" Well, I think I see the start of an interesting friendship. " Anne chuckled nervously.

" Anyway, what are you doing here ? " Daisuke asked, getting serious again.

" I'm here to defeat Akumas of course ! " she said, and that's when they all noticed.

" You have a ring just like us ! " Anne said as she held up her ring.

" Of course, that's the crest that symbolizes us Ryoushi. " she said.

" Well, didn't you notice that earlier !? " Ericel yelled in irritation.

" Well, I would have if you had at least any spirit energy ! " she insulted him. Suddenly, Ashant'e stopped fighting with Ericel and turned.

" All of this fighting has told an Akuma our location. " she said, just as a woman walked towards them.

" Wow, detected this early ? Oh well, guess I'll just have to kill you. " she smiled as her skin just fell off loosely and she turned into a giant and slimy creature !

" Hurry up and unleash your Child so we can hurry up and defeat it. " she said as she got into a stance. When the others did nothing, she stared at them aghast.

" You guys haven't even activated your Child yet ? Damn, who the hell is your mentor ? " she asked as they still stared at her.

" Ooh ! Never mind, I guess I'll handle this alone. "

" Against that thing ? How will you beat it ? " Daisuke asked as she just smirked.

" Unlike you two and the weakling, I can use my powers. " she smirked at Ericel, making him mad again to her enjoyment.

" _Wake up Kiyohime, time to dance._ " she whispered as she kissed her ring and it glowed a faint purple. Suddenly, a large purple strand of energy encircled the ground she stood on, and it glowed as a giant snake grew out of it !

" Let's go ! " she shouted as she looked back at the others. Ashant'e winked at them before her " Child " as she had called it slithered forward at a fast speed.

" I don't like her. " Ericel muttered as he saw the snake tear through the enemy easily. Moments later, Ashant'e arrived back at them in triumph.

" See ! You guys should really learn how to release your child. " she said as hers disappeared in a blink.

" And how do we do that exactly ? " Ericel asked.

" Easy, call it by its name. " she said.

" But we haven't been able to. " Daisuke said.

" Maybe you haven't been presented with a situation where it was dire enough for it to be summoned. Or your Reiatsu is just too weak. " she said, directing it towards Ericel as he made his hand into a fist. Suddenly, the fun between them stopped as the monster from before rose again !

" I thought I beat you ! " Ashant'e yelled in surprise.

" You alone can't stand a chance against me ! " it talked in a booming voice as he spit a blob of acid forward at them.

"_Hogosha Tate ! _" she yelled as a purple shield rose up and blocked it.

" _Wake up Kiyohime, time to dance._ " she said again as her snake appeared, ready for another round. Ashant'e charged towards it with force, but they could tell she wasn't winning as easily as before.

" We have to help her. " Anne said as they saw Ashant'e get hit with a powerful blow. Ericel didn't like her much, but he couldn't just leave her.

" Please, I need your help. " Ericel clasped his hands together as if praying as he tried to talk to his familiar desperately. Then, a single word came to him and he smirked.

" _Duran, time to come out and play_. " Ericel kissed his ring gently as a ring of power formed around him.

**--**

**Another chapter done ! Hope you review ! And KaiAN-Chan, I know Ashant'e seems kinda weird but hey, it's gonna get better if you review ! Hope you like this chapter !**


	12. Discovering New Powers !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 12**

**To my reviewers: Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Snoopy39996. Thanks for reviewing.**

" _Duran, time to come out and play_. " When Ericel whispered those words, a swirling ribbon of cold energy wrapped around him and spread out through the ground. A piercing howl came out as a large robotic dog came out. It came naturally to him as he reached out and patted its head. Its eyes glowed red as his robotic armor reflected the light.

" Nice. " he complimented as he eyed the weaponry on his so-called Child. It grinned at him before barking playfully. The others watched in wonder as Ericel slowly mounted it, and patted it again. The pair both lifted their head in unison as they heard Ashant'e screaming.

As she felt herself plummeting to the ground, she grunted in surprise as she fell against something.

" You so owe me one. " he smirked at her surprised look as they landed back on the ground and she stepped off in a huff. She glared at him as her Child reappeared and she jumped back on.

" Don't think you're all that just because you've summoned your child. " she glared as he smirked. They turned their attention back again as the monster advanced.

" I so hate to say this, but I need you help. " she sighed.

" What about us ? " Daisuke asked. She gave them a fleeting look before turning back.

" You guys … take care of that ! " she yelled as she pointed to a couple of more monsters. They looked over and realized that bits of the sludge monster had broken off and turned into solid monsters. Kiyohime and Duran both jumped and saved their owners as a sludge of acid was spit towards them.

" Eep ! " Anne yelped as she dodged an incoming attack. Daisuke hit it in the chest and followed up with a spin kick as it decimated back into sludge. Anne flipped back to dodge an attack as she jumped up and did a sweeping kick, destroying another one quickly. Daisuke turned just in time to see a monster swing its arm at him and destroy the tree behind him !

" Careful. They might be defeated easily but they're stronger than they look. " he warned as he was back-to-back with her. They separated as another one attacked them. Anne kicked rapidly as she destroyed a dozen in an instant while Daisuke destroyed many more with his fists of fury.

" Aah ! " Anne yelped as she fell down. A monster was about to strike her down when something came to her mind.

" _Kaze no Hana ! _" she screamed with her hands raised and out of it shot out multiple petals of pure energy. They exploded and sent out a mist, distracting the creatures effectively as she got up and back flipped onto safety. Daisuke realized that the same mist was fogging up the enemy's senses again as he was able to run away from them easily and find Anne.

" Anne ? " he called appearing next to her. Anne didn't realize he was there and she turned and screamed, slapping him across the face with a resounding echo.

" … OW ! " he yelled at her as she grinned sheepishly and shrugged in apology.

" Looks like she hasn't mastered her powers yet … " Ashant'e muttered as her snake descended back to the ground. After a flash of quick dash attacks, Duran and Ericel were exhausted as they descended back onto the ground. Suddenly, Ericel spotted the two cannons strapped to the back of Duran's hide.

" Duran, what are those ? " he quirked his eyebrow as Duran somehow sweat dropped. Ericel looked over as he saw Ashant'e go underground. Ericel sort of got a plan of what she was doing as he looked down at Duran.

" Ok, how do I work this thing ? " he asked as he looked back at the cannons. Duran turned his head to look at him in question.

" Oh my god. You don't know how to work them either do you ? " he asked while Duran just whimpered. Ericel hopped off and searched around the cannon, seeing a set of small ridges.

" What is this, voice activated ? " he wondered. Suddenly, he heard his friends' battle cries as they fought off the slug clones, and he saw that they were losing fast. Ericel wanted to go over and help them, but he had to help Ashant'e as he was the only other one to be able to summon his Child.

" Come on, please help ! " he looked at his ring as he could just practically see Ashant'e coming up for the attack. He closed his eyes and prayed real hard as he tried to get the ring to work one more time. Ericel opened his as he felt the ring turn cold again.

" Aaaagggghhhhh ! " Ashant'e let out a long battle as she charged up from underground and split the monster in half !

" Duran ! " he called out loudly, making Duran turn his head in his direction.

" Load Chrome Cartridge ! " he yelled as he pushed up his glasses. Duran stabilized his body as the back of his cannons opened up. Two poles shot out from beneath and loaded two large cartridges into the cannons. The cannons started to gather energy as the opening glowed a faint red.

" Fire ! " Ericel yelled as he shot his arm forward and the air around them exploded as the two bullets were shot forward. The bullets cut through the air currents clearly as it shot through the two halves of the monster cleanly, and destroyed it completely !

" Yah ! " Daisuke cried out as he was about to punch a slug monster when it just melted before his eyes. He watched as his best friend descended back onto the ground smiling brightly.

" Woohoo ! " Ericel pumped his fist in the air as he hopped off Duran. He turned back to his dog and petted it before it disappeared in a flash, back into his ring. Ericel turned and flashed them a peace sign as they laughed at him.

As Ashant'e fell to the ground gently, Kiyohime disappeared as she put her hands on her hips in a huff.

" Hey, I was gonna beat that thing ! " she yelled.

" Hey ! Why are you yelling at me, I was helping ! " he yelled back.

" I could have taken care of him by myself ! " she poked him in the chest.

" Yeah, you were just failing to hit him ever so gracefully ! " he swatted her hands away. They pressed their faces against each other and glared as Anne and Daisuke sweat dropped. Suddenly, something caught Daisuke's eye and he immediately turned, but didn't see anything. When he turned around and started walking towards the others, he heard something behind him.

" Aaaggghhh ! " Anne screamed as she pointed to a remaining monster as it advanced quickly ! He watched it raise its slug arm, and it was about to bring it down on Anne !

" _Hibiki Tama ! _" he screamed as the words came to his mind. He felt something leave his mouth as he saw something clear cutting through the air. The monster screeched as it was blown apart by the unseen force ! They all gaped at the trail in the earth it made as Daisuke slowly stood up straight again and looked over at them, chuckling sheepishly.

" What was kinda cool. " he admitted as they all nodded slowly.

" Wow, you really _pretty _powerful. " Ashant'e said in awe. Suddenly, they all got back into battle position as they saw a bush nearby rustling furiously.

" What's going on over here !!! " the three teenagers sweat dropped while the other looked in question as Misato's voice rang out. She suddenly flipped out of the bush and readied herself in a crouch and pointed her gun in which-way direction.

" Hey, we're over here … " Ericel called as Misato looked over.

" Oh, hey. " she said as she tried to stand up, and realized her hair was stuck in the bush ! As she cried out for them to help, a chibi Misato struggled to get her hair out while everyone just sweat dropped.

" Thanks for your help ! " she yelled at them as she finally got untangled and watched the others laughing. Misato stopped and looked around, realizing the forest ground was covered in nasty goop. She looked at them, and then at Ashant'e in question.

" And you are ? " she asked, pointed to her.

" Ashant'e, next in line to lead the Mugen Tenshin- "

" Ok, we got it. " Ericel cut her off, grinning as he saw her glaring at him. Suddenly, they realized what Ashant'e really was.

" Wait, how did you get here ? " Anne asked.

" And how are you gonna get back ? " Ericel asked, making Ashant'e furrow her eyebrows.

" Well actually … I dunno ! " she shrugged, making the three teenagers fall down comically.

" What do you mean you don't know how !? " Ericel said, getting back up.

" Ummm, I dunno how I really got _here_ either. " she scratched the back of her head. Ericel sighed into his hand as he looked at Daisuke.

" But you have to admit, she could help us. " Anne said as she looked down at her ring.

" She's right. Ashant'e is the only one of us who's experienced enough with our powers, and she's the only other one besides Eric who can summon their Child, so we can't risk it if another big one attacks. " Daisuke had to admit.

" Fine, I can't say we don't need her. But what about everything else ? Where's she going to live if she can't get back ? " Ericel asked.

" He's right you know. I _am_ a princess, you can't just leave me here to fend off by myself ! " she yelled.

" Wait, how advanced is your … Clan ? " Ericel asked.

" Are you insulting me ? We're on par with the latest technology available, maybe about your standards. " she replied smugly.

" Fine, but still, who's gonna take her in ? " Ericel asked again.

" I can't take her because my grandparents wouldn't allow it. " Daisuke said.

" I can't because we have no more room. " Ericel said.

" Hey, are you calling be fat !? " she yelled at him, which started another argument.

" And I can't either. Just … because. " she said quietly.

" Then I'll take her ! " Misato suddenly yelled. They turned to look at her as she smiled.

" Just fill me up, and I can take her. "

**--**

" Hey Duran, wanna come out ? " Ericel chuckled as his ring glowed and out came Duran in his soft and cuddly puppy form. It wagged its tail happily and jumped onto his lap. The three teenagers were back at Ericel's house and were just lounging around in his room. His sister and dad and were out so they had a bit of privacy.

" That's so cool. I want my Child to come out. " Daisuke sighed.

" But at least you guys got your powers. That was pretty cool. " Ericel said, making Anne and Daisuke looked at their rings.

" _Hana no Kaze._ " Anne smiled as the room filled with a thin smokescreen.

" _Hibiki Tama._ " Daisuke blew out a bit of air and sent a small hole through the cloud.

" See, you guys can control it now ! " Ericel smiled as he held Duran to his chest.

" Yeah, only after a day too. " Anne smiled.

" I wonder how Ms. Katsuragi's doing. " Daisuke said as they all thought about how crazy it was when Ashant'e moved in there.

" Geez, satisfying a princess sure was tiring. " Ericel sighed. Suddenly, Anne looked at her watch and stood up.

" Uhh, sorry guys, gotta go. " she said as she walked towards the door.

" What's up ? I didn't think you had any after-school activities. " Daisuke said as he got up into a sitting position.

" Well, I just something to take care of. " Anne said as she walked outside. The two boys watched after her in question as they turned to each other.

" We gonna follow her ? " Daisuke asked.

" Of course ! " Ericel answered as they quietly followed Anne's footsteps. The watched as she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. They froze as they saw her looking around her. Daisuke wondered what she was looking at since there was nothing around …

" _Hana no Kaze. _" they saw her kiss her ring as a pink fog blocked their sight.

" Ok, she might just be getting a little _too_ good at using her powers. " Ericel coughed as the smoke cleared up and she was gone.

" Oh well, I guess she doesn't want us to find her. " Daisuke blew his hair out of his face.

**--**

**So, what's Anne up to ? Review and you'll find out ! And if you're wondering about the Talent Show, Ashant'e is going to join of course ! And guess what, more characters are coming !**


	13. The Step Up Challange !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 13**

**Thanks to my reviewers Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n !**

" I am so bored. " Ericel sighed as he fell against the bed. Suddenly, a loud explosion exploded outside his house ! The duo immediately ran outside, and gasped as another explosion ran right next to them !

" Aaaggghhh ! _DURAN !_ " Ericel cried out as his metallic dog immediately came out of a power circle on the ground. Suddenly, another blast came from Daisuke's side and he yelped, sending a Noise Bullet straight across the yard, destroying a row of bushes. He looked over sheepishly at Ericel who had his veins crossed and his hand into a fist.

" Aaaggghhh ! " Ericel yelped again as Ashant'e appeared in front of him, grinning.

" What the hell !? " he shouted at her angrily. She smirked at him while Duran looked confused as why he was called out. When learning that it was nothing, he disappeared in a flash back into the ring.

" Here for a training session ! " she smiled. Daisuke and Ericel looked at each other in confusion as she continued grinning evilly.

**--**

" Aaaggghhh ! " Ericel and Daisuke cried as they ran for their life ! One moment they were in Ericel's yard, they next they were in an abandoned land in the mountains.

" _Terekineshisu. _" Ashant'e repeated as she ripped up mounds of dirt and rock and threw them repeatedly at the duo. Daisuke ran around wildly, jumping every second to dodge a boulder. As Ericel thought he was safe, he slowly looked up in fright as he saw a rain of wooden shards pointed at him !

" _Duran !_ " Ericel called out loudly in fright as his companion quickly appeared. He climbed aboard Duran's back just in time as his Child quickly jumped out of the way, dodging the rain of spikes. As Ericel and Duran ran around madly, Daisuke watched as Ashant'e easily coordinated her attacks.

" Wow, she really is good. " he had to admit. Ashant'e was right, they haven't even begun to realize how power their powers as Ryoushi were. She smirked as she suddenly turned in his direction.

" _Terekineshisu. _" she smiled as she lifted a giant boulder off the ground that was twice the size of her ! Daisuke watched wide-eyed as she reeled it back, and then threw it at amazing speed towards him. He knew that he couldn't dodge it, so there was only one more choice.

" _Hibiki Tama ! _" he shouted as the Sound attack flew from his mouth straight out to the boulder, complete decimating it, leaving Daisuke in wonder at his own power. Ashant'e smiled before she turned back to Ericel. When they came to a dead end, Duran and Ericel hurriedly looked up at the incoming spears. They shot into the ground, creating a cloud of smoke and worrying Daisuke.

" Duran, now ! " Ericel suddenly yelled out as Duran shot out of the cloud sideways.

" Load Chrome Cartridge ! " Ericel cried as the cannons were loaded up and it was starting to glow the eerie red again. Then, Ericel flipped up off Duran.

" Fire ! " he called while still in mid-air. Duran growled as he shot out the powerful bullets at Ashant'e.

" _Terekineshisu. _" she smirked as she rose out her hand and moved the other bullet over to hit the other ! Ericel gasped as they exploded on contact, sending out a wave of scorching energy.

" _Terekineshisu. _" she said again as she moved a giant boulder in front of her, taking most of the blow as she raised her finger to her lips.

" _Shikuchi !_ " she smiled as she disappeared in a haze to get out of the rest of the attack. Ericel and Daisuke groaned at their futile attempts to defeat Ashant'e.

" You guys tired ? " she asked playfully as she neared them, skipping along merrily while Ericel glared.

" I guess you guys did ok for today. So, … _Shikuchi !_ " she snapped as they all teleported back to Ericel's room. They appeared floating in mid-air as Ericel and Daisuke comically fell to the ground hard while Ashant'e descended lightly onto the bed top. Suddenly, Anne stormed in angrily … in their school cheerleading outfit.

" Oh my- " Daisuke blushed.

" God. " Ericel gaped while Ashant'e looked aghast.

" What are you _wearing _! It is not acceptable to be wearing _anything _ that … _revealing_ in my clan ! " said Ashant'e in shock as she looked at Anne's outfit. It had Goldenvale Bears etched across the front in glittery colors. She had on a small top and a multi-layered miniskirt with different shadings of gold and black, their school colors. Her hair was tied back and she held a pom-pom in each hand, making the scene ridiculously funny after they got over the initial shock.

" … Ahhahahahahahahahahaha … Ahahahahahaha ! " they laughed continuously, only stopping once in awhile to regain breath as they resumed laughing. Ashant'e sensed that Anne was about to explode as she Shikuchi'ed them downstairs.

" I can't believe that girl ! Bianca, how could she do that !? " Anne raged on as the boys finally calmed down.

" Bianca ? You mean, Senior Bianca ? The most popular girl in school ? Whose boyfriend is Gilbert ? The most popular boy in school !? " Daisuke tried to clarify.

" Who is also the snobbiest, spoiled, bratty little rich girl ? Why, what happened ? … And why are you dressed like that … " Ericel pointed to her outfit slowly.

" Well, first of all, my mom's worrying I don't participate in enough after-school activities. " she said.

" But you don't participate in _any_. " Daisuke said, getting Anne to glare at him.

" Exactly what she said, so then I got put into this. " she clarified angrily, pointing to her outfit for emphasis. The two boys nodded along to far as Ashant'e just listened in boredom.

" So, when I got to cheerleading auditions … "

**--**

" Anne Mano ? Anne Mano ? " a girl behind a desk yelled out. She sat back down next to Bianca, the head cheerleader herself as she filed her nails. The moment Anne walked in, Bianca glared as she realized it was a freshman.

" A freshman ? A freshman's trying out ? This will be good. " Bianca whispered to the other girl as she smirked evilly and sat back.

" Ok, standard cheer here so you should at least be able to do this right ? " Bianca said in a smug tone as she put on a cheering voice.

" Awesome, oh wow ! Like, totally freak me out ! I mean, right on ! The Bears sure are number one ! " she said overly-peppy, making Anne want to gag.

" My mom forced me to come to this, our school has no gymnastics team, this is a last resort ! " Anne shot back, equally as peppy as Bianca glared.

" Ok look, I don't really want to be here so just say I didn't make the team or something official. " Anne said, or else her mom would totally rag on her if she said she just quit.

" Yeah, you're not cheerleader material anyways. You don't even look like you can do a handspring. " Bianca smirked, making Anne narrow her eyes.

" Oh really ? I can do _anything_ you can do. So, try me ! Let's see if I'm not cheerleader _material_. " Anne shot back, making Bianca angry. She looked at the other girl and they both smiled as they thought of the most difficult routine they could barely perform at all.

" Front handspring step out, round-off back handspring step-out, round-off back handspring, full-twisting layout. " Bianca said impressively, only making Anne roll her eyes. She put on a smile as she saw Anne drop her pom-poms and walk towards the door, but then she frowned as she saw Anne turn around and smirk at her. In a second, she dashed forward and used the momentum to do the first handspring, and continued the rest of the routine flawlessly.

" So, what now ? " Anne asked confidently as Bianca closed her gaping mouth.

" I'm sorry, but you didn't make the squad. " she said not that sadly as Anne just gaped.

" Yo, what's up with that ? I mean, she was good ! " The girls turned to the door to see the one and only Gilbert standing there.

" She just has an attitude problem. " Bianca seethed out, making Gilbert looked shocked.

" I think the only one with an attitude here is you. I think I should let you chill out a while. " he backed off, making Bianca gape at him. As he walked past Anne, he gave her a thumbs-up and a smile, making her blush, before he walked out.

" You little … fine. If you wanna prove yourself, get into Instant Tang tonight. I'll be waiting on the dance floor so you better come if you wanna prove your steps. Unless you're afraid. So, see you there _freshman_. " she enunciated as she walked past Anne.

" Count on it. " Anne glared as Bianca walked out the door.

**--**

" Wow. " Daisuke said amazed at how brave Anne was.

" So, _that's_ what you said to her ? " Ericel asked while she nodded. Then he stood up and walked to his room.

" So, are we going to Instant Tang or what ? " he smiled as he closed the door behind him. Ashant'e looked on in wonder, Daisuke sighed into his hand, and Anne just smiled. The door burst open a moment later with Ericel dressed in a new wardrobe. He showed off his red button-up long-sleeved shirt and his tight-fitting jeans. Anne blew out a low whistle in compliment, making him blush.

" Ok then, we need to dress up ! "

**--**

" Ok, how do we get in ? " Daisuke asked. After a quick change-up with Ericel's help, they were ready to try and sneak into the club. Daisuke was wearing a t-shirt and slacks while Anne was wearing a black spaghetti-strap with a white skirt and a chain hanging around it. Meanwhile, Ashant'e was still staring at the assemble Ericel picked out for her.

" Are you sure this is acceptable ? " she asked as Ericel rolled his eyes again.

" Yes ok ! You need something loose to dance in right ? " he asked as she looked at her black halter top and denim miniskirt. Meanwhile, the other two were trying to find a way in. Daisuke sweat dropped as he saw Anne cracking her knuckles.

" Calm down. " he said, trying to calm her down.

" Fine, I will. But only until we get to Bianca, then I am so going to kick her ass of the dance floor ! " Anne said with flaming eyes, making Daisuke sweat drop even more. Suddenly, he spied the ladder next to him beside a tree. He looked at Anne and saw her eyes go wide as she spotted what he saw and shook her head wildly. Daisuke looked over and saw that the other two were arguing again so he just decided to leave them alone.

" No, no, no, no, no ! NO ! " she said as she swept her arms across her chest in a horizontal line while Daisuke just pouted.

" No, that doesn't work anymore ! Nothing you do will make me climb up there ! "

**--**

" I can't believe you got me to climb up here. " Anne muttered angrily as she was almost to the roof.

" Just hurry up ! My arms are getting tired ! " Daisuke yelled, looking up … into Anne's skirt …

" PERV ! DON'T LOOK UP THERE ! " she cried as she stomped his shoulder hard. Daisuke almost lost his balance but he quickly grabbed back onto the ladder and breathed a sigh of relief. Anne flipped up onto the roof and Daisuke crawled up slowly while Anne kneeled on a small glass section of the roof.

" I can't find a way in. " Anne muttered as she looked around her surroundings. When Daisuke climbed up, he faced a glaring Anne.

" There's no way to get in ! " she yelled. He looked around nervously and spotted the window. He looked down and realized it landed in the back of the club, where barely anybody went unless that wanted some … ahem, privacy.

" I have a plan. " he smiled.

**--**

**Heehee, yay ! Another chapter done ! Please review on my story, and I'll update soon !**


	14. What the Heck are Mediums ?

**Celestial Students **

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 14**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n ! Thanks you guys so much for being my beloved reviewers !**

" Just because I- … where did they go ? " Ericel suddenly asked. He and Ashant'e stopped arguing and looked around, realizing Anne and Daisuke was gone. They turned back and glared at each other.

" It's your fault ! We've lost them now ! " Ashant'e yelled.

" My fault !? You're the one who started all of this ! " Ericel shot back.

" It's not my fault ! It's yours ! "

" Yours ! "

" Yours ! "

" Yours ! " Ericel yelled.

" I can recognize those voices from anywhere ! " a familiar voice suddenly called out. They turned in shock as a well-known violet-head came outside.

" Misato ! " Ashant'e called, already used to calling her by her first name.

" What are you doing here !? " Ericel asked in surprise. She motioned for them to come in with her head and waved her badge at her guard, making him nod as he let in the teens.

**--**

" Really ? That's pretty serious. " Ericel said.

" By you descriptions, this girl could easily be a rogue _HiME_. " Ashant'e said as Ericel looked at her in question.

" A HiME ? " Ericel and Misato asked at the same time.

" You see, even though there are sparse Ryoushi already, there are even fewer who were born with a latent talent in manipulating energy. HiME is just one of the labels for those specializing in offensive powers. " Ashant'e explained.

" You might be right. This girl hasn't killed anyone yet, but the burn marks on them are pinpoint and have almost crippled the victims. We don't know how dangerous this girl is. " Misato told them of a girl who's in the alleyways and hurts anyone that comes across her. With her execution time, she would either have a gun that shoots bullets made of fire, or she had powers of her own.

" But are you sure she's a threat ? I mean, what if the same thing happened to her that happened to Ashant'e ? She could just be scared. " Ericel said.

" True, but we don't know that for sure. " Misato said sadly.

" But it's highly unlikely. Each Ryoushi specializes in one type of power, and my main power branches off into teleportation, which was what made me appear here in the first place, but hers seems to be fire. I don't think she was sent here from somewhere else. " Ashant'e said. They sighed as Ericel put his head down on the table while Misato drank her beer.

" What are you guys doing here anyways ? " Misato asked, reminding of their mission.

" We have some important business ourselves. " Ericel smiled. Suddenly, a strange pink fog covered the area, making Ericel sweat drop.

" You guys, what are you up to ? " he asked nervously to no one in particular. Suddenly, there was a loud crash and a yell, making Ericel sweat drop … again.

" Davis, I hate you ! " he heard Anne yell as the smoke cleared, which no one seemed to notice much in the first place as they were too busy dancing to the music. Anne and Daisuke came out of nowhere as they were wiping the dust off their clothes.

" Nice plan. " Anne said sarcastically as she swept her hair out of her eyes.

" Hey, I got us in right ? " he said as he smoothed out his shirt. They both stopped and gaped as they saw Ericel and Ashant'e were already in.

" How did you guys get in ! " Daisuke asked unbelievingly. They turned and pointed to Misato who waved at them with a grin.

" All that work for nothing. " Anne grumbled. Suddenly, loud dance music started filling up the area as Ericel gasped.

" Bianca ! " Ericel yelled as he pointed towards the dance floor. And as the song " Cutie Honey " by Ahyoomee Lee started playing, Bianca was indeed on the dance floor, dancing with the rhythm perfectly.

" Oh, she's going down ! This is my song. " Anne said confidently as she and Ericel walked onto the dance floor.

" This is your important business ? " Misato asked, making Ashant'e smile sheepishly. When Daisuke sat down, Misato decided to tell him too about the mysterious fire girl. But before she oculd, something hard and shiny hit Daisuke on the side of his face, making him facefault to the floor comically while the two ladies sweatdropped.

" … Heads up ! " Ericel finally yelled, smiling sheepishly as Daisuke got up glaring. Daisuke looked down at the handheld camcorder and nodded. They watched in interest as Daisuke recorded Ericel and Anne going onto the dance floor.

" Ugh. " Anne scoffed, making Bianca aware of their prescence. As they slowly moved their bodies to the music, Bianca grabbed a nearby partner and started dancing. When the hip-hop song started getting into a more active beat, Anne and Ericel started dancing simultaneously to the rhythm, drawing attention to the duo that looked too young. Bianca glared as she pushed her partner away.

" Hey ! " Ericel protested as Bianca moved him aside and started getting in Anne's face. When Bianca completed a move, Anne did it too. Then Anne did a dance routine, and Bianca copied her, looking at her smugly. After, they both just started dancing their own while the crowd cheered.

" Wow. " Misato admitted as Ericel struggled through the crowd to their table.

" She's doin' good huh. " Ericel smiled.

" Aren't you supposed to be helping her ? " Ashant'e asked, but the two boys just nodded.

" Just look at her. " Daisuke said, pointing to the smiling Anne.

" She doesn't need our help with it. This is her stage." Ericel said. Ashant'e looked over and nodded solemnly. With one final step, Anne did a backflip wiout using her hands and wowed the crowd as Bianca lost her step and fell, losing the match. Anne looked down at her and offered a hand, but Bianca just swatted it away and got up herself.

" So, do I make the squad now ? " Anne asked, trying not to be condescending … and failing at it.

" What makes you think that ? " Bianca sneered, making Anne gasp.

" But you said- " Anne started.

" Prove what you _think_ I said. " Bianca smirked.

" She doesn't have to. We can just show you got served by a freshman to the entire school. " Ericel said as he held up the camera for her to see. She gaped at him, but then quickly recovered.

" You can't show that to the entire school. There's no way. And I know you won't do it, you don't have to guts. " she said smugly.

" Oh really ? Are you sure about that ? I had a 4.0 GPA since elemetary school, I'll find a way to broadcast it to the school. And do you really think I wouldn't have the guts to humiliate to help my best friend ? " he asked in a fake innocent tone. Bianca continued to look condescending, but it wasn't as convincing as before.

" I think you really should keep your word Bianca. Or should I tell your parents ? " Misato suddenly said as she stood up and made Bianca gape. That ruined her resolve as she quickly ran outside but turned back to Anne.

" Fine you made the squad. Be at the gym tomorrow at 4 P.M. sharp. " she glared before she ran away from all the cheering.

" Oh snap ! In all of this, I forgot I never wanted to join the squad ! " Anne smacked her forehead with her palm, making them all sigh.

" Anyway, time to party ! " Ericel yelled happily, but was halted by Misato.

" Hold it ! Don't you think you should be at home now children ? " Misato quirked her eyebrows at them, making them pout.

**--**

" Wow, it is pretty late isn't it ? " Daisuke realized.

" I guess I better get home. " Anne said but Ashant'e stopped her.

" Wait, one last thing before you guys all go to beddy-bye. " she said with the same evil grin as before, making Ericel and Daisuke gulp.

**--**

" Ok, you've all been able to use your powers basically at least … well, some of you. " she smirked at Ericel who glared back at her.

" Anyway, for those of you who haven't summoned your child yet, don't worry. They will come when they need to be. " she said, making Daisuke and Anne relieved.

" Now, I think it's time for you guys to summon your mediums. " she said, making them all quirk their eyebrow except for Anne.

" Mediums ? As in weapons or objects to channel spiritual power through ? " Anne asked, making the boys stare at her.

" What ? I saw it in an anime. " she defended herself.

" Exactly. But in this case, it will be weapons. Now, everyone stand up. "

**--**

" I still can't do it ! " Daisuke whined. Ericel and Anne were able to summon a power circle but as they tried to concentrate their energy, it just faded. Ashant'e sighed and showed them again. She put her legs together and stood straight up with her right arm in front of her..

" _Mugen Tenshin Ryu. _**_Baikaibutsu, I summon thee. _**_Tarima Ogotsie ! _" she yelled out, outstretching her arm to the side. In that moment, a violet circle of power appeared under her and the invisible photons in the air were lit up in a purple haze. They gathered in front of her as she snapped, and they gathered around her neck, forming a see-thru shawl.

" Fine, but I am so tired. " Ericel sighed as he got up.

" _Tai Chi Chuan. _" Ericel called out as he spread his legs apart.

" _Pi Qua Quan. _" Anne called as she bent her knees into a stance.

" _Jeet Kune Do._ " Daisuke said quietly as he stood straight up and put his arms together as if praying.

"**_Baikaibutsu, I summon thee._ " they each called out as a power circle of blue, gray, and pink appeared from the ground.**

**" **_Yamata Shigori ! _" Ericel called out as his circle blazed. The photons around him materialized and started to gather, but it just dissipated … again.

"_Fushi No Tori ! _" Daisuke yelled, swinging his arm out. Multiple silver photons started glowing as they started forming into his hands ! Daisuke and Ericel looked on in excitement as it started forming … and then stopped …

" Ah man ! " Ericel and Daisuke sighed in unison.

" Don't worry. If you got that far, you can summon it in no time. " Ashant'e said.

" _Gamari Otatsi. _" Anne called out, turning their attention to her as her weapon started to materialize !

" Oh, my, god ! " Ericel yelled as the pink energy formed into Anne's hand ! She slowly opened her eyes, and gasped down at the small fan in her hand. She swung her hand and it flowed open, shining in a bright light with multiple jewels embedded in it, decorated in multiple designs.

" Wow. " Anne uttered as she realized how light it was, and how sharp the edges were.

" Try using your power now. " Ashant'e smiled.

" _Kaze no Hana. _" Anne tried out, as she instinctively fanned it with her new medium, and it just exploded !

" Uhh .. I can't see … " Daisuke yelled out, hearing Anne laugh. With a flap of her fan, it cleared up ! And with another, it was there again ! Then, Anne turned and fanned towards a rock, and the fog moved all the way over there and just covered that are. The others nodded, impressed at how she was able to control her power so easily now.

" Now that at least _one _of you learned how to summon your medium, " she turned to Ericel, making his veins cross. " I think it's time for you guys to go home. " she said as she realized how dark it was, and pointed her finger up.

" _Shikuchi !_ "Ashant'e called out as they teleported back to Instant Tang.

" You couldn't just teleport us home ? " Ericel asked.

" No, too tired. " she faux yawned as she waved bye-bye to them and disappeared in a flash, making them gape at her. They turned to each other and sighed.

" Fine, I'll see you then. " Anne waved as she went her separate way. The boys waved as they started walking home. When they walked past an alleyway, Ericel suddenly had a cold feeling as he looked towards the darkness. Daisuke just looked at him in question as he continued on. Ericel watched his friend walk away as he proceeded into the alleyway.

" Jeez, it's cold. " he shivered as he walked slowly deeper into the alley. Ericel turned every once in a while when he felt a rush of air. A shadow cautiously watched as Ericel started to slow down. In a split second, Ericel sidestepped as a stream of fire struck at him.

" Ok, come out. You might as well. " he called out as he slowly looked up. And there she was, floating directly in the moon. A beautiful girl with her hair in a fluffy ponytail, wearing mostly rags. Ericel saw that her face was covered in dirt, and she had a murderous gleam in her eye. But what caught his eye were the glowing rings decorated with magatama floating around her wrists and ankles that seemed to keep her afloat … and the scarf she wore.

" _Jaen. _" she whispered before he could observe any further as her finger lit up. She blew out gently as a stream of devastating fire flew towards him. Ericel's eyes widened as he hopped back and the flame barely missed him. The mysterious girl blew out more flames as Ericel dodged them effectively. She narrowed her eyes at him as she reeled her arms back.

" _Yatai ! _" she called out as the rings around her ankles plus the magatama on it started glowing. Ericel's eyes opened wide as he saw her charge forward. She reached him and started punching and kicking him viciously as he was barely able to block it ! As she reached out to punch him, he circled his right arm around it and turned it away, the thrusting forward to hit her with his elbow. She glared again at him, making him gulp.

" _Dai-Jaen !_ " she yelled out as she pointed at him.

" Oh shoot ! " he yelped as a spiral of fire spun out of her finger tip ! The blazing flame hit the ground and spiraled around him, trapping him in a ring of fire.

" Damn. " he sighed as he looked around, realizing there was no way out. She landed on the ground with a thud as her rings stopped spinning. Ericel watched in surprise as she got into a fighting stance, and challenged him. He just got into a battle stance himself and nodded. She charged towards him and punched out multiple times while he dodged it easily, though he realized she was very strong. He could feel the air split every time she narrowly missed him.

" Ugh. " he grunted as she landed a hit into his chest and knocked him across the area, almost hitting him right into the fire.

" Oh snap ! " he flipped up and patted his back as his shirt caught on fire. He sighed as the fire went out, only to dodge just in time as the girl went on the offensive again. He was able to block most of her attacks, but they were becoming increasingly stronger with each hit. He yelped as she landed a small kick to his arm, making him rub it comically while in the middle of the fight, making the girl's veins cross. She spit out a fireball at him … and singed his hair.

" Oh … NO YOU DIDN'T ! " he shouted as he got into a stance. When she punched forward, he slapped her hand away and grabbed the other one as she was about to swing. He smacked her on the neck and switched the arms grabbing her to smack her in the chest with the back of his palms, into to put them together and hit her simultaneously. When she tried to attack again, he hit her arms back against her side as he hit her on the ears, then hit her on the chest, sending her flying away before grabbing her scarf off.

" Oh my god. " Ericel gasped as he saw the collar on her neck. When she realized that he saw, she reeled her arm back.

" _Dai-Jaen !_ " she screamed as the flaming attack went right towards him ! He wasn't able to dodge it in time as he closed his eyes, only for a phrase to come to mind.

" _Gyouko Shouheki ! _" he cried out as he raised his hand, making a shield of blue energy rise up ! Ericel watched as the energy faded and he saw it was actually a shield of ice. He smirked again when he saw his ring glowing.

" Now the party's about to get started ! " he smiled as remembered the words.

" _Tai Chi Chuan._ " he whispered while the girl waited expressionless.

"**_Baikaibutsu, I summon thee._ " Ericel said quietly as a circle of azure power glowed around his feet.**

" _Yamata Shigori ! _" he yelled out as he thrust his arm out. Ericel grinned as the photons of energy around him started forming into his hands. It grew into a slender shape, leaving an interesting medium in his grasp.

" Ok, now it's time to really play ! " he smiled brightly as he held out his crystal conductor's baton.

**--**

**Yay ! Chapter done, and it's longer, all because of you Sapph1reDrag0n ! Anyway, I'll be out to Reno starting the 21st, so I might not update till I get back ok ? And hey, if you want to give me a present, leave me a review ! So, remember spleetoog, do a good job on that manga and mail me a copy when you're finished ! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT … READING THIS STORY !**


	15. The new PowerUser

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 15**

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n, here's another chapter !**

" _Yatai._ " the girl whispered as her bracelets started glowing again and she slowly floated up. Ericel gazed at the weapon at hand as he experimentally waved it, sending a wave of ice out. He gasped in surprise as the girl charged at him in that moment. As she struck out at him, he held his wand up in reflex at it generated a small force field in front of him and blocked her away.

" Whoa ! " he yelped as the girl tried attacking him time and time again, while he either dodged it or blocked it with his new power. Suddenly, she flipped backwards in mid-air and aimed her finger at him.

" _Jaen._ " she whispered as a fireball shot out at him ! He raised his arm in reflex as the frigid shield came back, but he could see it being destroyed by the shot !

" Well, I guess that's not gonna work for a while. " he said quietly as he looked up and gasped when he saw her smirking.

" _Dai-Jaen !_ " she called out as a spiraling inferno blasted towards him again ! He tried to think hard and remember the words to create the shield from before, but couldn't ! So there was only one other choice.

" _Duran, time to come out and play._ " he kissed his ring quickly as his Child came out just in time.

" Awhooo ! " he howled as he threw his owned onto his back and jumped away !

" Whew. Thanks Duran. " Ericel patted his Child's head as it landed on the opposite end of the girl.

" _Dai-Jaen !_ " she called out again as she shot out another blast of fire. Duran leaped up to dodge it, but they gasped in surprise when they looked up and saw she was in front of them. The girls ring on her right wrist spun faster and encased her fist in fire ! The duo weren't able to dodge in time as she had a clear shot and Duran, and sent them tumbling to the ground !

" Aaaggghhh ! " Ericel screamed as they crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater and scattering dust everywhere ! He gasped in pain as he slowly got up, and held his arm in pain. Suddenly though, he had a phrase come to his mind.

" _Ryuuchou Mizu. _" he said quietly, as the same orb of glowing water appeared again ! Ericel remembered it from when the horror flicks came to life, and he held it onto his bleeding arm. His eyes widened as he saw the glow spread through his arm and in an instant, he was healed ! He gasped again as he looked down and saw the injured Duran on his lap.

" I hope this works. _Ryuuchou Mizu. _" he said as he tried for it to work on his Child, but it didn't !

" _Ryuuchou Mizu. Ryuuchou Mizu. Ryuuchou Mizu ! _" he cried again and again as he saw that it wasn't working. Ericel stared at his palm in disbelief as he heard his Child whimper. He petted it gently as it nuzzled into his hand. He looked up and gasped as he saw a flicker of emotion in the girl's eyes, but it was gone so quick that he wasn't sure that he even saw it.

" _Jaen._ " she called out as a stream of fire burst out. He knew that if he ran away to dodge it, Duran would perish so he quickly shoved that thought down.

_' I have to protect him ! ' _ he thought as he closed his eyes. Suddenly, a phrase came again as he opened his eyes.

" _Gyouko Shouheki ! _" he screamed out as he raised his hand, and the mirror shield flashed in and blocked it easily.

" Load Chrome Cartridge ! " Ericel called out as Duran shakily stood up with Ericel's help.

" Fire. " he said quietly as it shot out the missiles.

" _Dai-Jaen !_ " she yelled out as the serpent blaze shot out and hit the bullets. Upon contact, they exploded and sent both forces hurtling. When it was cleared, Ericel saw that Duran had shot back into his ring to recuperate. He slowly got up and saw that the girl was at the opposite end, barely moving. His eyes wandered to the collar again and he tried to remember what he saw on the news before. He walked over and realized that the collar was opened, but it was still hanging around her neck, then he remembered.

" My god, you were the Chinese orphan … " he remembered the new report. It was about a guy named Burt who was a British loan shark. Ericel remembered how he was feared in the Underground because he had a slave, who was a killing machine. He heard a rumor of the still young teenager, saying that this person has a collar around their neck that when dispatched, will go berserk on a killing spree.

" You couldn't be that person could you ? " he said quietly as he remembered that the guy named Burt was in a car accident, and that he was killed.

" So now you're all alone … " he said sadly as he reattached the collar, just in case. Ericel observed her body and realized all the cuts and bruises she had, and how dirty she was.

" How long have you been out here ? " he wondered, almost forgetting that she just tried to kill him. Ericel thought about trying to use the strange water to heal her, but he remembered it didn't work before, and he shouldn't waste his energy if she were to wake up. When he started hearing police sirens, he gulped. He realized they would've come sooner or later, with all the fire and the explosion just now. Ericel just hoped that Misato was with them …

**--**

" Eric ! Eric ! You ! Tell me where my son is now ! " Eriol yelled as he grabbed a guard and lifted him off the ground, making Loan sweat drop. The guard quickly pointed to a room and Eriol dropped him and ran to the room, leaving Loan to apologize for her dad's rudeness.

" Eric ! " Eriol called as he walked in, to see Ericel sitting at a chair with Misato. His son sweat dropped as he heard the commotion outside while Misato just waved happily.

" Good to see you again Mr. Reed. " Misato smiled, making Eriol blush at his behavior. Loan came in and looked at the girl through the glass window.

" Who's that ? " she asked, pointing to the girl. It turned all their attention back to the girl on the table as the doctors were checking her for injuries.

" Dad, remember that report we saw last week. " Ericel said as his dad nodded. Eriol's eyes widened as he realized which one his son was talking about. With a nod to confirm it, Ericel turned back to the glass. He turned his head back with a quirked eyebrow.

" Where's Anne and Davis ? " he asked.

" Where the hell is he !? " he heard Anne scream suddenly, making him sweat drop.

" Calm down. " he heard Daisuke.

" Poor Davis. Don't know what he's getting into. " Ericel said sadly for his friend.

" Calm down ? CALM DOWN ? HOW CAN I CALM DOWN ! I was awoken in the middle of the night to get a call from the police saying that one of my friends was in a freak accident ! And how am I to calm down ! " she screamed at him.

" Look, I'm worried about him too ok ? I shouldn't have left him by that alley but he can take care of himself ok ? " Daisuke tried to reassure her.

" YOU LEFT HIM IN AN ALLEY !? " she screamed, making him sweat drop. He had forgotten to tell her that one part.

" Uhh … Eric ! SAVE ME ! " Daisuke called out as he ran away from the wrath named Anne. Ericel just burst out laughing and the pair outside froze. Daisuke charged into the room, his veins crossed.

" You couldn't just come out and tell us you were here could you ? " he asked with his hands scrunched into a fist, making Ericel laugh. Anne came in and glared at both of them, making Ericel grin sheepishly. Suddenly, his attention turned to the glass panel quickly.

" Misato, the collar ! " Ericel yelled as Misato quickly pulled out a two-way radio. She yelled for the doctors to put the collar back on just as the girl had awoken !

" Eh, Misato ! " Ericel said urgently as she got up.

" Come on you two, let's get out of here. " she ushered before they could see the commotion.

" Careful, she has powers too. " Ericel warned as they stood steady.

" Good thing I got the powers done an hour after you left. " Daisuke said as they watched the girl look around in alarm as to where she was. She knocked out the doctors and spotted Ericel, narrowing her eyes at him while he waved, grinning sheepishly.

" _Techigai ! _" she called out as her familiar bracelets materialized around her wrists and ankles.

" What the hell are those ? " Daisuke asked while the girl raised her hand.

" _Jaen !_ " she called out as Ericel held his hands in front of him.

" _Gyouko Shouheki ! _" he said in response as the fire melted through the glass and shot out at his crystal shield which was raised just in time. The other two were impressed with their friend's new powers but they gasped when they saw he was sweating heavily.

" Ah ! " he yelped as the fire melted through his shield and blasted them all against the wall.

" Ow ! " Anne muttered angrily as she rubbed her backside.

" I don't like her ! " Daisuke said angrily as he got up. Ericel rolled his eyes at them and flipped up as they each got into position.

" _Baikaibutsu, I summon thee._ " they each called out as their power circles appeared.

" Gamari Otatsi/Yamata Shigori/Fushi No Tori ! " they each called out respectively as they outstretched their hands. Anne's fan materialized as she grasped it and opened it in front of her, the metal gleaming threateningly. Ericel's baton appeared as he twirled it around and held it in a strong grip. And Daisuke's weapon, a steel staff appeared as he twirled it around and pointed it at the girl.

" _Kaze no Hana !_ " Anne yelled as she flicked her wrist and a pink cloud quickly appeared and faded. The two boys looked around and ran outside, stopping when they realized that the whole building was asleep ! They stared at her while she just pushed them towards the door.

" So what, I can make people fall asleep ! " she explained as they neared the door to the back area which was a construction site.

" _Gyouko Shouheki ! _" Ericel turned quickly and raised his hand, twirling his wand in a circle as the shield of ice protruded from it. Another stream of fire burst out and struck the shield, blasting the trio outside and crashing them into the dirt ground.

" _Hibiki Tama !_ " Daisuke swung his staff down in a powerful arc as an invisible shot blasted forward, narrowly missing the girl … but crashing into the building behind and destroying a large part of the wall, making Anne and Ericel sigh as Daisuke sweat dropped. The girl looked over and then slowly turned back and pointed a finger at him.

" _Jaen._ " she whispered as a flame shot out at the group. Ericel tried to raise the barrier again, but gasped as it was broken and they flew back against the broken construction site.

" _Kaze no Hana !_ " Anne's voice called out as a pink cloud encircled the girl. Ericel took the chance and dashed back towards the building while Daisuke stood ready. Ericel ran through the building and came back to the room before, and grabbed the girl's collar from the table, turning his head sharply when he heard a loud explosion. He ran outside and saw Daisuke and Anne on the ground, holding their arms in pain. Ericel started to run towards them then gasped as a stream of fire narrowly missed him. He skidded to a stop and turned back to the emotionless girl. She fired another blast of fire as Ericel held up his wand in defense, a small shield taking most of the blow as he was blown back towards his friends.

" Anne, do it again. " Ericel said quietly as she looked at him in slight question before nodding.

" _Kaze no Hana !_ " Anne called out as the entire area was covered in fog.

" _Duran !_ " Ericel called out as his companion materialized and he hopped aboard. His mechanical dog burst forward right up to the floating girl as he took out the collar, and strapped it on her neck ! She froze, and emotion suddenly flowed into her eyes as she fainted, Ericel catching her just in time as they descended. Suddenly, a sound next to the door erupted, making the three conscious teenagers jerk that direction, weapons ready.

" Oy, you kids alright ? " Misato coughed as the fog disappeared. The others nodded as Ericel held the girl gently as he laid her to the ground.

" What are we gonna do about her ? " Daisuke asked as he rubbed his arm.

" … Well … " she said, making them all look expectantly.

" I dunno. " she scratched the back of her head sheepishly, making the teenagers fall to the ground comically.

" Misato ! " Ericel whined disapprovingly as he got up quickly. Suddenly, Ashant'e teleported in and yawned.

" What did I miss ? " she asked, making them just stare at her … and stare … and stare …

" … Well, I hope you guys are ready for the talent show tomorrow … well, actually today. It's midnight ! " she noticed as the others just gaped … and gaped … and gaped ...

**--**

**I'm back ! And another chapter done ! Here it is, and please review ! I'll update soon !**


	16. The Talent Show, Oh Dear God !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher **

**Chapter 16**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n, thanks for reviewing everybody !**

**Disclaimer: Ooh, I don't own these lyrics ! Well, I own the lyrics to my poem, but not to Caffie's ! You'll see, by the way, it's Cathie from school if ya wonderin'.**

" … _beep_ … _beep_ … _beep_ … " Ericel's hand shot out from under the covers and slammed on the alarm clock, making it stop. He ran his hand through his short hair and then suddenly jerked up as he remembered what transpired the other night. He remembered what happened on midnight when the most tragic thing happened …

" The Talent Show ! " he suddenly screamed as he flipped out of bed. Ericel slowly threw off his clothes and put on his uniform and ran to the kitchen table. He looked around and realized that he was almost late … again. His dad and sister were just eating, not even showing that they noticed he was there.

" And you guys couldn't wake me ? " he rolled his eyes as he quickly slabbed butter on his toast. Ericel slowed down as he remembered the girl from before. She was still unconscious when they gave her over to Misato, and she assured them she was going to make sure she was taken care of. But for now, all they had to worry about was the Annual Talent-less Show.

" Ok dad, I'm off to school. " Loan said as she put her plates in the sink. Eriol waved them goodbye as Ericel bit down on the toast, and tripping over the chair on his way towards the door.

" You ok there ? " his dad laughed at him as Ericel glared. He raised his neck as his toast thankfully hadn't fallen out of his mouth yet as he pushed himself up.

" Ittekimasu ! " Ericel struggled out as he pulled on his jacket and hopped into his shoes. Loan was already out the door as he pulled on his backpack and caught up to Loan. Daisuke later joined up out of nowhere, making Ericel choke on his toast. Loan started laughing as Ericel painfully swallowed down, glaring at both of them.

" Itterasshai ! " Eriol called to them.

" Bye ! " Loan said as she ran to Tran as Ericel and Daisuke walked to school in silence. They saw Anne talking with her friends, so they just went to their locker, thinking painfully about the talent show after school.

" So, what in the world are we gonna do for the talent-less show ? " Daisuke whined as he struggled to open his locker. Ericel rolled his eyes and moved him aside and spun the dial, opening it in a few seconds, making Daisuke gape.

" How did you- when did you- … never mind. " Daisuke said as he deposited his books. Suddenly, Anne walked over sighing sadly.

" What in the world are we doing for the talent show ? " Anne said in depression as she leaned against the locker.

" I have no idea. But it starts at four so we still have _some_ time. " Daisuke tried to say optimistically. Suddenly, Tina bounded over strangely more hyper … than normal.

" Ok Tina, what's wrong with you ? " Ericel quirked his eyebrow at his … friend …

" Anne ! How could you not tell me !! " Tina screamed at her friend happily while Anne just backed up against the wall.

" … What ? " Anne finally asked.

" THAT YOU MADE THE CHEERLEADING SQUAD ! " she screamed, silencing the whole hall. The four teenagers turned around slowly as they watched the faces of the awed students.

" A freshman made the cheerleading squad ? "

" No way ! "

" Yes way, I heard that she beat Bianca down at Instant Tang last night ! "

" Shut up ! "

" Oh no. " Ericel muttered. The hall up roared with chatter and rumors as the three teenagers glared at the sheepishly smiling Tina.

" … Oops ? " she shrugged, making Anne grab her friend's shoulder and drag her into an empty classroom. Daisuke and Ericel just watched after them and started talking again when Anne suddenly reached out and hauled them into the room too.

" How did you find out ? " Anne asked as she too forgot that she had made the squad last night.

" Weren't you listening, everyone's talking about it ! " she said stupidly.

" That was because of you. " Daisuke reminded her.

" … Oh yeah ! " she said loudly as the others rolled their eyes.

" Anyway, I hear practice is at 4 o'clock today ! I can't wait ! " Tina said happily. Suddenly, they all gasped as they realized what that all meant.

" Goodbye suckers ! Good luck ! " Anne waved at them happily as she and Tina exited the room.

" That bitch ! " Ericel said angrily as Daisuke just stared at the ceiling. Suddenly … he gasped loudly, making Ericel roll his eyes at his friend once again.

" Oh my god ! She's not going to be in the talent show with us ! " he yelled.

" I know ! "

**--**

" Good morning class ! " Ms. Lopez said to her class while Ericel tried to take off his mind by writing something.

" Now, today we're going to start on poems ! " she said enthusiastically, making most of the students sigh, even Ericel. He loved writing, all types of writing of course, but poems just weren't his thing now. Of course he used to love them when he was little, but ever since his mom … and his childhood friend, it always came out … more depressing than he thought.

" Now, it's a free write so just let go and write whatever you feel. And if we have time at the end of class, we might even have a few volunteers. " she smiled as she tightened her black jacket around her and threw her black and wavy hair behind her shoulder. Ericel took out a pencil and went to thinking again, wondering why.

" Why ? " he wondered. Why is it that every time he tried to draw inspiration from something, it would always come to two shadows. He recognized one of them as his mother, and the other was just like déjà vu. Ericel remembered that it was a childhood friend, that he was very close with, until they just disappeared, and it would always give him a sad feeling he still strangely harbors in a part of his heart.

Once again, he closed his eyes and tried to write something, the sad feeling coming back to him and when he opened his eyes, he realized that he had already written something. He read it and sighed again. It was something romantic, again. Ericel wondered where all these feelings came from, and remembered how he was ridiculed in middle school for his writing, and how he lost his passion for it.

" Ok, class is almost over ! Any volunteers ? " Ms. Lopez called out, making Ericel snap up, realizing that he spent the entire time just staring at the paper. He looked around and realized people weren't realizing their hands and he cursed them as he saw Ms. Lopez looking around to randomly choose the students.

" No ? Ok then … let's see. Oh … Eri- oh wait. Caffie then ! " she said, Ericel sighing as he looked over and saw hiss female … friend … kinda … Caffie, who's mind is obsessed with taking stuff over. If she ran for class president … she would intimidate all other candidate out of the race.

" My poem is called, What F.U.N. really stands for. " she smiled, making all the other students roll their eyes.

_F is for fire that burns down the whole town,_

_U is for uranium bombs !_

_N is for no survivors, _

_When you ki-_

" Ok ! Caffie, great. " Ms. Lopez finished before she can finish. She smile nervously as Caffie sat back down.

" Ok, next ? I think we have time for one more. " she said, surveying the students. Ericel scrunched down and eyed the clock. There was only 5 minutes left he realized as he tried to make himself invisible, which …

" Ericel, how about you ! " … never works.

" Uhh, I'm not done yet. " he said quickly.

" Oh, that's ok. Just read us what you have. "

" But the time- " he tried but then he saw the look she gave him. Ericel picked up his paper, and slowly stood up.

" EversinceyoumeleftI'vebeenwaiting- " he said in one breath quickly.

" Whoa there, slow down. Now please, read us what you wrote slow enough for us to understand you. " she smiled calmly, making him sigh.

_Ever since you left me,_

_I've been waiting by that same window side._

_So even if you forgot me,_

_Is it ok for me to still love you._

Ericel read it quietly and quickly, though still slow enough so some people were able to hear it. He waited for the reaction he was used to, but he got a different one. It wasn't much better though.

" Awww ! " a chorus rang out from the girls, making him cringe.

**--**

" Oh my god ! " Ericel sighed tiredly as he threw off his clothes.

" What ? You had to read your stuff out loud again ? " Daisuke said sadly as he pulled on a pair of shorts.

" Yes, and it was horrible ! " Ericel said bitterly as he pulled on a t-shirt.

" What ? Did they- " he started, remembered the terrible year before.

" No, it's just that, … you'll see. " he cut him off as they walked outside. They looked around and saw that no equipment was out. They looked around, wondering what they were doing today. Suddenly, Ms. Garcia's whistle rang through their ears.

" Ah ! " Ericel held his ringing ear.

" Today, we're doin' cross-country ! " she yelled happily, making everyone groan.

" Oh my god ! " Ericel sighed, running was one of those things he hated to do.

" Today is just not your day is it ? " his friend pitied him.

**--**

" Dear god ! " Ericel gasped in horror as he and his friends entered their home economics class. There was Misato grinning wildly as there was this monstrous … creature(?) on her desk top.

" This is what we're making today class ! " she answered her gaping students.

" You mean, that's actually edible ? " Daisuke asked with a questioning look.

**--**

" Come on, do something ! " Daisuke yelled at his friend who almost fainted at the sight of what they were making.

" Hey, stop yelling ! Jeez, why are you such a perfectionist ? "

" Because you aren't doing anything ! " Anne just watched as they argued again. This didn't happen a lot, but Daisuke actually was a perfectionist, and it did rear its ugly head at times when he gets stressed. She watched sadly as they just continued arguing.

**--**

" Damn you Anne. " Ericel grumbled as he watched Anne wave them goodbye happily is her cheerleading uniform … which was still very strange to them.

" Now what are we gonna do ? " Daisuke sighed sadly. Suddenly, he brightened up and looked at his friend.

" Don't you still remember how to play the piano ? " he asked smiling.

" Yeah, why ? " Ericel asked.

" Well, you could play something while I- "

" Oh, you mean in front of people ? Then no, I totally forgot how. " he said, making Daisuke sigh again. Suddenly, they heard a small ping and turned quickly to see … Ashant'e ?

" Hey you guys, Misato called and said there was an emergency ? " she asked, not seeming to really care.

" Thank you Misato. " Ericel quietly prayed to the sky. Suddenly, both boys turned to her grinning sinisterly.

" What, do I have something on my face ? "

**--**

" Ladies and Gentlemen ! Thanks you for attending our Goldenvale High School Talent-less …" she stopped as she realized what Daisuke wrote on her card. Her veins crossed angrily before she smiled it off. " … Show. First up are Ericel Hiiragizawa, Daisuke Li, and … Ashant'e Mugen …, with a magic show ? … Please, give them a warm welcome. " Misato said nervously, wondering what the three teenagers could be up to.

" Thanks for coming ! " fireworks blazed off as Daisuke's voice yelled out. The crowd clapped as Daisuke came out in a magician's outfit with Ericel coming out from behind with a large box. Suddenly, whistles soared throughout the auditorium as Ashant'e came out in a rather … extravagant outfit.

" I hate you. " she whispered into Ericel's ears as she posed in her glittering outfit.

" Just shut up and keep smiling. " he said through his smile as the clapping faded.

" Ok, for our first trick, our assistant – grunts – _lovely _assistant will step into this box, and she will disappear ! " Daisuke gasped as Ashant'e quickly pulled her foot back.

" Oh, you want me to disappear ? I'll disappear alright. " Ashant'e gave them a strange grin that made them nervous as she stepped into the box. Ericel hesitantly closed the box door behind Ashant'e as he slowly spun it.

" _Ichi, ni, san._ And she's gone folks ! " Daisuke said in a relieved tone as Ericel opened the box to reveal a missing Ashant'e. The audience clapped as Daisuke and Ericel slowly moved next to eachother.

" How are we gonna get her back ? " Daisuke whispered through his smile.

" I have no idea. " he whispered back. Suddenly, he brightened and moved closer to the audience.

" And now, I will make water … float through the air ! " he said loudly as there were scattered claps through the area. Daisuke shot him a look but Ericel just nodded as he put his hands together.

" Baikaibutsu, I summon thee. " he said quietly and quickly. Everyone watched the dazzling ' show lights ' in amazement as Ericel summoned his medium.

" Uhh … _Mizu_ ? " he called out as a stream of water flew out of the tip of his wand, and he manuevered it easily, making the crowd gasp in awe. Suddenly, the doors burst open and in came a friend of Anne's, with a whole crowd of girls.

" There he is ! " Amy called out.

" Oh, dang it ! It's the girls from the poetry club again ! " Ericel gasped in horror as he rememebered how they heard his poem … and chased him around to join their club. He ran away off the stage just as the stream of water was floating above Daisuke's head, and it fell upon him as the girls ran right past him.

" Uhh … Drive home safely ! … and don't get wet ! " Daisuke yelled as he too ran off the stage, leaving Misato gaping …

**--**

**Yeah, another chapter done. Anyway, hope you review ! I know you probably wanted more to the talent show, but you'll see more later k ? Anyway, please review !**


	17. New Enemies ?

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 17**

**Thank you to all my reviewers !**

" God, that was horrible ! " Ericel sighed the days after the talent show. The three teenagers were walking around the park just waiting for night to happen upon them.

" Why are we even out here ? " Anne asked all of a sudden.

" Uhh … we wanted to get out of the house ? " Daisuke suggested as they really didn't have any idea why they were outside.

" Oh, ok. " she accepted as they walked towards the playground.

" I miss these. " Ericel spoke up suddenly as he sat on one of the swings. Anne sat on the other one while Daisuke grabbed hold of the monkey bars and swung himself up. They all sat there in complete silence, glad to get this peaceful break in their hectic lives. Suddenly, police sirens blared by and they knew their peace was over. They waited for the sound to pass, but they looked up in surprise when they saw the police car stop in front of them.

" Ashant'e ? Misa- what happened !? " Ericel asked in a deathly tone as the three teenagers saw Ashant'e step out with Misato whose arm was in a bandage.

" She's escaped. " was all Misato said, and all three understood.

**--**

" How did this happen ? " Ericel asked Ashant'e as they each were riding on their Childs with the other two hitching along.

" I'm not sure. Misato said she was going to check up on this girl, her name was Kathie or something, and when she got there, there was just this huge explosion that burnt her. I immediately teleported there and found the girl was missing, again. " Ashant'e said. Ericel sighed tiredly as they searched through the woods.

" You can drop us off here. Me and Daisuke will go look in the city. " Anne said as they went through the city. Ericel and Ashant'e looked at each other as they continued searching through the rest of the inhabitable area.

**--**

" God, what's this girl's deal ? " Daisuke said tiredly as they ran through the streets.

" Come on Davis. She's been trained to kill her entire life, you can't change what happened all of those years. " Anne said, making Daisuke go quiet.

" Let's just look for her ok ? " Anne said as they searched the streets. Suddenly, Anne came to a halt, sending Daisuke right into her.

" Ow. " he murmured as he opened his eyes, and realized he was on top of Anne … in a very compromising position.

" Oh, get off her ! " Daisuke raised his head in hearing Tina's voice, just to be smacked across the head by a shopping bag ! He comically flew away while Tina and Amy helped Anne up.

" Oh, Anne, why ? Is it because we haven't been spending enough time with you ? " Amy asked worriedly.

" What's going on ? – Gasp ! – Are you in a relationship … with Da-Davis !? " Tina and Amy gasped loudly while Anne just sweat dropped.

**--**

" Where is she ? " Ericel asked. Suddenly, both of their ears sharpened as they picked up the sound of motor bikes. They quirked their eyebrows at each other as they came to a stop and looked around. When they stopped, they looked around the forest and once again heard the roar of motorcycles.

" Get out of here ! " they heard a gruff voice yell. Ashant'e and Ericel's Childs disappeared as they ran towards the noise. In the middle of the forest in a large clearing, there she was, surrounded by angry bikers. She was crouched down and held her head in between her knees like a small child as the bikers cursed at her.

" You little freak ! You're a danger to all of us ! " an angry woman with crazy hair cried as she threw a pipe at Kathie, who whimpered painfully as it struck her, though it didn't do any real damage.

" Why won't she fight back ? " Ashant'e asked.

" Because she doesn't know how to control it. " Ericel gasped as he saw the collar still safely locked around her neck.

" What do you mean ? " Ashant'e asked.

" The collar, I guess it's sort of like a constant tranquilizer to her. When it's taken off, its pure animal instinct that makes her lash out that everything that could be a possible threat. But when it's on, she's just an ordinary teenager who hasn't any training like us … " Ericel winced as he saw someone throw a broken bottle at her. It almost missed her but it grazed against her leg, cutting it with blood starting to drip out.

" I can't watch this anymore. " he said as he ran out. Ashant'e watched after him as she too ran towards her.

" You freak ! " a large teenager yelled as he threw an empty bottle towards her. Kathie's body stiffened as she expected the blow, but she heard a grunt of pain instead in front of her. When she looked up, there was Ericel with his arm raised horizontally, the shattered remains of the glass on the ground.

" What the hell are you doing ? " Ashant'e asked as she stood next to him while Kathie looked up at them in question.

" I'm not sure. " he said as he looked back and saw Kathie looking at them. Ericel gave a fleeting smile and sweat dropped as he saw Kathie pout at them, but he realized it was just one of stubbornness.

" What's wrong with you people ! Why are you hurting her ! " Ericel shouted at them.

" We saw her use her powers ! She's a being from hell I tell you ! Her existence alone could mean the death of us all ! She might seem all cute and cuddly now, but wait until she learns how to use those powers of hers ! " a woman yelled, reminding Ericel of a preachy old woman down the street of his house.

" Our leader is too kind a man to get rid of her, but we know better ! " they yelled.

" Shit. " Ericel cursed under his breath as he saw some of them getting of their bikes and advancing towards them. Ashant'e looked behind her and saw Kathie was giving them a questioning look and looked over to Ericel. Even though they weren't the best of friends, they knew that they could still work together.

" Yah ! " they yelled as they threw pipes, bottles, and chains at them.

" _Gyouko Shouheki_ ! " he called out as a giant shield of ice appeared and reflected off all the projectiles as Ashant'e held her fingers up in front of her.

" _Shikuchi !_ " she yelled out as in a whirling of leaves all three teenagers were gone …

**--**

" Anne ! Come on, leave him ! Come join us on out shopping trip ! " Tina said as she fixed her headband.

" Yeah Anne ! Please ? " Amy asked. Anne looked back at Daisuke who gave her a nod.

" So I'll see you later then ! " he said before he ran off, leaving Anne to wonder what Daisuke meant. As he ran down the streets, he finally slowed down as he waited at a street light.

" It's better if she wasn't here if we have to fight anyway. " he thought to himself as the light changed. He ran down the streets and looked around as he searched for the missing girl. Daisuke continued searching, when he heard a loud explosion. He turned towards the direction of it, and then gasped when he heard an eerie song.

_Everyday I play,_

_Outside in the day, _

_Though I play in the shadows._

_The blood of humans I seek …_

" Hey, watch out ! " Daisuke called out as he saw the little girl. She was wearing a pink dress and had on a big white hat with a pink ribbon, and she was bouncing a pure white ball under a construction site. She really stood out in the shadows as the pieces fell on top of her, but she gave no care.

" _Gravirei. _" Daisuke gasped as he heard the spell, and at what he saw. Pushed by an invisible force, the giant metal bars that were about to fall on the girl were pushed against the building in a flash, and flatted as more force was applied to it before it ripped through the building.

" Oops, I've been caught. " a small voice piped up. But her innocent front was gone as she looked up, making Daisuke gasped in horror. Everything seemed normal, except her eerily evil, and her eyes. Her eyes were yellow … and empty … giving Daisuke the scare of his life. He knew she wasn't someone to mess with as he turned to run away, but he wasn't able to …

" _Gomuzaku._ " he gasped as he heard another womanly voice, just before he felt a strong blast to his head, and he blacked out …

**--**

" Anne, what about this ? " Tina asked as she put on a sunhat, shielding her long hair.

" It's cute … but a bit expensive don't you think ? " Anne looked skeptical.

" Oh, sheesh, you're right. Oh well, I can still have fun can't I ? " Tina said optimistically. Suddenly, Anne's eye widened as a cold feeling rushed through her. The other two girls stopped chattering and looked at Anne strangely as she stared blankly past them.

" Anne, are you alright ? Snap out of it ! " Amy snapped her fingers in front of Anne's face, snapping her out of her daze.

" Oh yeah. Well, look at the time, I have to do something. It's really important. Sorry guys, but I have to go. " she waved goodbye to them as she ran out of the store.

" What is this feeling ? " she wondered as she felt her ring start burning …

**--**

" We're here again ? " Ericel realized as he gazed around the plain area, surrounded by mountains.

" Whew. I'm beat. " Ashant'e said tiredly as she rested against a boulder.

" You ok ? " Ericel asked as he looked towards her direction.

" Yeah, just didn't get any rest last night. " she said in a tone, telling him not to dig any further. Ericel nodded and looked towards Kathie, who was glaring at him.

" Th-thanks for the help. " she said, shocking both of them.

" Yo-your welcome … " he managed to say.

" Look, I'm not retarded ok ? And thanks for your help, but I have to go. " she said, standing up, only to fall back down as she looked at her bleeding leg. Ericel sweat dropped as the "innocent" girl was just like another he knew.

" Come here, at least let me fix that for you. " he said as she hesitantly stuck her leg out.

" _Ryuuchou Mizu. _" he said as the shining water appeared. Ericel placed it on her leg as she winced in slight pain, just before the wound glowed and disappeared.

" Hey, when did you learn that little trick ? " Ashant'e asked in interest.

" A while back. " he said, before he turned to Kathie.

" So, we haven't been formally introduced. Ericel, or Eric. " he said as he stuck out his hand. She just stared at it.

" Kath- … Kat. " she said and that was all. Ericel sighed as he looked like he made another rival.

" So, what made those guys so angry anyways ? " he asked, wondering about the motorcycle gang.

" I'm a freak. Like you. " she said emptily, making the other two sweat drop.

" Uhh, ok then. " he said as they sat there in awkward silence.

**--**

" Davis ? Davis ? Davis ! " Anne yelled in alarm as she saw his fallen figure. She pulled out her cell phone and immediately dialed 911 …

**--**

All three teenagers lifted their heads suddenly as they felt something descend on them. They all gasped as they saw a large man with an iron arm fall down from the sky, and stare down at the ground, before he raised his head and stared at them with his one red eye …

" Careful ! " Ashant'e shouted instinctively as they all got into battle positions, even Kat. Ericel looked over and saw Kat trying to experimentally use her powers and he remembered she couldn't fully use them with her collar on, but there was an amount of danger if he took it off so it looked like she was staying out of this one.

" _Baikaibutsu, I summon thee !_ " Ashant'e and Ericel yelled out as Kat ground her teeth together in frustration. Kat jumped back to a safe distance as the other two's weapons materialized.

" _Terekineshisu !_ " Ashant'e called out as she picked up a giant boulder and threw it at the man, only for him to just stand there and take the impact as it crushed against him, though it did nothing. Ericel and Ashant'e stiffened as he reeled his arm back, and thrust it forward. They both gasped as a burst of air shot between them, and looked back slowly as they saw the mountain behind them have a clean hole drilled right through it.

" Watch out ! " the others snapped back to attention as Kat's voice rang through their ears.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " Ericel said quickly as he twirled his baton and the powerful shield appeared.

" _Hogosha Tate !_ " Ashant'e added as her own defense power kicked in. They both braced themselves as he reeled back … both arms ! In the blink of an eye, the two Ryoushi watched as their defenses crumbled in front of them, and they were hit with a freakishly powerful blow to the abdomen, flinging back and crashing them into the mountains.

" Ugh ! " they both grunted as they fell to the ground, Kat biting her lip nervously as the man just stood there.

" _Duran !_ " Ericel called out as his companion appeared.

" Load Chrome Cartridge ! " Ericel called out as he pushed himself up.

" Fire ! " he yelled out as the silver dog shot out the two destructive missiles. Ericel and Ashant'e watched as it tore across the ground and were about to hit the man, when …

" No way … " Ericel said in surprise.

" Impossible … " Kat had to say as the missiles were stopped by the man's bare hands ! Everyone shielded himself as he crushed them, making an explosion go off. They lowered their arms as the dust cleared away to see the man … without a scratch !

" This guy's in a whole other league ! " Ashant'e gasped as she shakily stood up.

" We-we have to get away. " Ericel said when he realized that they were no match for this monster.

" _Shi-_ " Ashant'e started, before she gasped in pain. Ericel raised his head in shock as in a flash, the man was there, burying his arm in Ashant'e.

" Asha- " he barely got out before he was stuck across the face, sending him flying to the side. Kat couldn't watch anymore as she charged in a reeled her leg back, sending a powerful kick to his head, which he nodded off. She gasped in pain as he sent her over a cliff !

" Kat ! " Ericel screamed as he dove for her, and missed catching her before she fell over !

" Ow ! " she grumbled as she grabbed onto a small ledge that was sticking out as she hit the wall.

" Quick, give me your hand ! " Ericel yelled as he held his hand down.

" Why should I trust you ? How do I know you won't just let me fall so you can win the battle easier ? " she asked automatically, as she had asked that question so many times before …

" What are you talking about ? If we had decided to finish you off, we would have looked for you ? Protected you ? Saved you ? " he asked as he looked back at the crumbled Ashant'e.

" Hurry ! We have to help Ashant'e, and I can't do it alone ! Why won't you trust me !? " he yelled.

" … Because I've learned better … the moment you let yourself trust … the moment you lose … " she said quietly, making him gasp as she slipped off the ledge and fall …

**--**

**Whoa, intense huh ? Yeah, this chapter strangely came out more serious than I thought. Anyways, please review and I'll update soon !**


	18. The Battle they Can't Win

**Celestial Students **

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 18**

**Thanks you guys for reviewing !**

Ericel watched as Kat fell, though she didn't look that scared. And her words, it kept on repeating over and over again in his head …

" _… Because I've learned better … the moment you let yourself trust … the moment you lose_ _… Because I've learned better … the moment you let yourself trust … the moment you lose …_ " strangely, the more he thought of it … the more familiar it seemed …

As Kat was falling, she desperately searched her mind for the things she did to get her power …

" Come on, remember ! What did those guys say before … oh yeah ! " she said as she looked down and realized that she was still far from the ground, but seeing she still had to do it fast.

" _Baikaibutsu, I summon thee … ? Uhh …_ _Techigai Kennon ! _" she yelled out as she spread her body out. Mystical flames appeared out of nowhere and twirled around her body, finally encircling her wrists and ankles, creating the golden bracelets. Kat thought hard as she tried to remember that spell that allowed her to fly …

" _Yatai. _" Kat said confidently as the rings adorning her started spinning faster and faster. Her body quickly adjusted to it as she spun herself right and started heading up. Kat flew back onto land to see Ericel flying towards her !

" Oomph ! " they both grunted as Ericel looked up in surprise. Kat just dropped him safely onto the ground as she descended next to him.

" You're still alive ! " Ericel said happily.

" … I think I've recovered some of my memories … " she said, making a face as she remembered all of the horrors …

" Ashant'e ! " Ericel called out as the man lifted Ashant'e up and held her in the air. He rushed towards her, but fell back down and grunted in pain. Kat pointed out her finger and tried a spell that seemed familiar.

" _Jaen._ " she said as a stream of fire struck his wrist, making the man loosen his grip. Then, Ashant'e commanded her scarf to attack, wrapping it around the man's wrist and opening it and freeing her. She gasped as he raised his fist, preparing for a strike.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " Ericel raised his hands up as the shield appeared above Ashant'e, taking most of the blow as the shield exploded and sent Ashant'e flying towards the teens. Ericel caught her as he tried to summon the healing water, but it didn't come !

" Ryuuchou Mizu ! " he yelled one last time, as a small orb of water appeared. The shining ball was small, but he realized that it could still heal as he slowly moved it around Ashant'e body.

" Even if you don't trust us, you know you won't get out of this alive on your own, so can you hold him off long enough for me to finish healing her ? " Ericel asked desperately while Kat contemplated the idea. She didn't like working with others, but she knew that she owed them for saving her, and she decided she should pay all her debts back now. Instead of answering, she just pointed her finger at the man.

" _Jaen !_ "

**--**

" So you have no idea what happened to him ? " a doctor asked Anne as Daisuke was resting in a bed in the hospital.

" No, I just found him in the street. " she said.

" So far, we just think he fainted out of fatigue, but we need to do a couple more tests to make sure he's all right. Have we contacted his family yet ? " the doctor asked as Anne nodded.

" Yeah, he lives with his grandparents. I already called them. " Anne informed. The doctor nodded and headed off as Anne looked at Daisuke worriedly. She glanced at her ring and had a dark feeling, wondering why she felt this wasn't just a normal incident.

" Ah ! " she yelped when she realized Daisuke's eyes were open.

" Ow, my heads fricken' hurts ! " he moaned as he slowly got up. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he realized where he was and he jumped.

" Where am I ? Get me out of here ! – Wuhahhh ! " he yelped as he fell off the bed … landing on Anne … just as his grandparents came in …

" Why does this keep happen to me ? " Anne sighed …

**--**

" _Jaen !_ " Kat flew high as a beam of fire struck the man, and actually drove him back. Ericel on the other hand was sweating profusely as he finally finished healing Ashant'e enough to teleport them out of there. Ashant'e snapped her eyes open and looked around, wondering what happened.

" _Yatai !_ " Kat gasped as the man sent a flurry of blasts at her, while she was swiftly able to dodge all of it … except the last one. She grunted in pain as the invisible blast hit her on the leg and she fell down next to the others.

" Eric. You have to distract with him a strong attack, and I mean _strong_ attack ! " Ashant'e said as she slowly stood up. But Ericel didn't know what to do, his strongest attack is with Duran when he loads his chrome cartridge … and that was it ! Duran was like a gun, and guns have different types of bullets !

" _Duran, time to come out and play._ " he said familiarly as his ring glowed. The moon suddenly seemed to outshine the sun, just for a moment as a familiar howl ripped through the air. Ericel held his hand out instinctively to pat Duran as he instantly appeared next to him. Ericel closed his eye as he was able to sense the opponent's movements without looking at him. When he realized that the man was preparing for an attack, the phrase just came to his mind.

" Duran ! Load Silver Cartridge ! " he yelled out as Duran's mechanics started whirring. He watched as the back of the cannon's opened up, loading up different missiles from before. Ericel watched Duran's eyes glow a bright yellow as he pushed up his glasses.

" Fire ! " he yelled as Ashant'e quirked her eye as she also saw him raised his palms.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " he called out as the frigid shield appeared a few feet in the middle of the man and Duran.

" What are you doing ? Won't the missiles just impact against the shield ? " Ashant'e asked as Ericel just smirked.

" You sure about that ? " Ericel said as the pure silver bullets shot out and hit the frigid shield, passing right through it and absorbing its powers ! The girls watched as the bullets hit the shield and pass through, absorbing its power and sending out waves of glacier-sized icicles ! They all watched in amazement as the attack pierced through the surroundings as Ericel quickly turned back to Ashant'e.

" Now ! " he reminded her. Ashant'e snapped back and nodded quickly.

" _Shikuchi ! _" Ashant'e called out as they teleported outta there, and into the hospital …

**--**

" Aaagghhh ! " they all yelled as they collapsed on the bed, except for Kat who landed on her knees.

" Dang, you're already stronger than us and it's been only one day ! " Ericel whined, making Kat smirk. Ashant'e sweat dropped, but she had to think about what Ericel just said. He was right, in just one battle, this girl had rediscovered her powers and held off an enemy she and Ericel combined couldn't stop him. If she was going to go off on her own, she had to make sure she wasn't their enemy.

" You know, it's been … interesting. But I should be leaving. " she said as she started towards the door. Ericel was gonna ask her to wait, but Ashant'e stopped him. He looked back and saw her nodding no, and he thought he should finally listen to her. When Kat walked through the hallways, she spotted two particular teenagers that seemed familiar, but she gave no heed as she exited into the city …

**--**

" Why did you let her go ? " Ericel asked as they walked out of the room and into the hallway.

" Because, she's got a mind of her own. That girl's been controlled ever since she was little, so I don't think we should be making the same mistake. " Ashant'e said simply, making Ericel nod. He couldn't help wondering how she's going to survive out there, but she seemed different than when they saved her, stronger almost. Suddenly, he stopped and looked around in question.

" Where are we !? " he finally asked as Ashant'e too looked around.

" Hmm … I'm not sure … " she said, sweat dropping as she saw Ericel glaring at her.

" So you don't even know where we are !? " Ericel yelled at her.

" Hey ! Not my fault ! We were in a desperate situation and I just teleported us to a place that called to me. " Ashant'e yelled back as their temporary truce was broken.

" And how did it call to you ? " he asked skeptically.

" Ashant'e ! Eric ! " they heard someone call their name, making them quirk their eyebrows …

" Hurry ! I want to leave this place ! " Daisuke's voice said in a whiny tone. The other two teenagers looked in that direction, to see Daisuke with a bandage around his head while Anne and his … grandparents looked at him skeptically. Ashant'e and Ericel just looked at each other questioningly.

**--**

" And you don't remember anything ? " Ericel asked in concern as his friend shook his head.

" Doctors think that he just fainted from exhaustion and probably hit his head or something. " Anne said. Meanwhile, Ashant'e was quiet as she replayed everything in her head.

_' Kiyohime ? What do you think ? '_ she asked her snake Child as she drifted into half-consciousness.

_' I'm not sure. It seems like we've just got many more competitors in town. ' _the snake appeared before her as it slithered up her body.

_' Anne said she felt something was wrong when she found Daisuke, and on top of that her Ryoushi ring was glowing. Something tells me he didn't just 'faint'. '_

_' You're probably right. But who are these new people, that man I observed today had more power than anyone we've encountered so far. ' _

_' Yeah, and on top of that, there's the new girl. She has a lot of potential. I still can't believe how much she grew in that one battle. We have to watch her. '_ Ashant'e said in caution. Suddenly, something snapped her back to reality.

" Ashant'e hello ? " Daisuke moved his hand in front of her face.

" What ? " she asked.

" So, are you going to enroll in our school or what ? "

" … WHAT !? "

**--**

As the rain started, Kat just lowered her head, becoming emotionless once again as she left the others. She walked beneath a building and just stood there as the rain washed down her jet-black hair. To all the passerby's, she would have just looked like another teenager that was stoned up, but that wasn't the case, as she hadn't realized yet how important emotions were.

" Bark ! Bark ! " Suddenly, her eyes snapped opened as a small bark was heard. She looked down at the small puppy that was wagging its tail happily at seeing her. Kat looked confused for a bit before she hesitantly leaned down, and held out her hand. The small and furry puppy licked her fingers, and then jumped into her arms. She was surprised at it, but then did something she hadn't done in a long time … she laughed. She stopped in slight shock as she looked down at the puppy.

" I wonder, how can you, such a little thing do something so miraculous. " she smiled as she looked around. When she noticed not many people were around, she did something that she knew was totally dangerous.

" Jaen. " she called out as she swept her arms across above her head, making a thin ring of fire from above her, protecting her and the dog from the rain. Kat looked around and dodged into an alleyway, traveling down the path as she saw a door near the end of the path, where a broken building lay. As she opened the door, she gasped in surprise as she saw a large man sitting there. She stiffened as she thought it was the man from before … but it wasn't.

" Come, come sit. " he said kindly as she moved towards the man slowly, letting the dog jump down from her feet and run towards the man. Kat watched as the man picked him up and laughed a deep laugh, a kind one. She felt she didn't belong as she went to leave, but he stopped here.

" Wait, come back. Name's David. You ? " the man asked, while she noticed his outfit. The leather jacket, the studded bracelet, she knew she remembered him from somewhere.

" Kat. " she said simply as she tried to remember his face. Kat realized he wasn't in the group that attacked her today, but he was a part of their group. She tried to remember who he was, but stopped thinking about it when her stomach growled. She blushed as she realized she hadn't had a decent meal since … ever.

" Come, eat. " he said as he pushed a plate towards her.

" But, it's yours. " she noticed as she realized there was that one and only plate of food.

" It's ok. You seem hungrier. "

**--**

**Yes yes, I know. This chapter's shorter but hey, I updated eh ? Anyways, just felt like continuing the story a bit more before the day's over … well actually, it's 12:16 right now so I guess it's a new day eh ? Anyways, please review and I'll continue the story soon !**


	19. Hakone Here We Come !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 19**

" Field trip ! Field trip ! Field trip ! " Ericel and Daisuke chanted happily. Ashant'e and Anne sweat dropped at them as Ashant'e looked down at her uniform.

" Strange. And we have to wear these everyday ? " she asked as looked at her blouse and miniskirt.

" Hehe, yeah. But I can't believe it ! A trip to Hakone ! I can't wait ! " Anne said excitedly. They all couldn't wait to get to that famous city in the Kanagawa Prefecture.

" I can't believe Misato was gonna leave us to go on vacation ! " Daisuke said as they remembered catching her, with Ms. Garcia and Ms. Lopez planning a trip. One which Principle Uchiha said they could take … if they made it a field trip for the students who could pay for it.

" But it's so expensive ! At least we aren't expensive kids, and I guess our parents should have enough money right ? " Ericel wondered. When they got to a crossroad, they all looked at Ashant'e all of a sudden.

" Wait, you don't have any money do you ? " Daisuke suddenly asked …

" Money ? Of course I do, I'm a princess remember ? " she reminded them.

" Any money from here. " Ericel clarified, making her quiet down and think. As they waited for her to answer, a car drove by and they all gasped as the car drove by a wet patch of mud and they all got sprayed !

" No, I don't think I do. " Ashant'e finally answered, while the others glared at her as she was the only clean one.

**--**

" Mom, I'm home ! " she called out as she entered her home in a muddy outfit. Her mother came out in an apron and screamed as Anne covered her ears.

" Anne ! What happened to you !? " she yelled as Anne let her ears go.

" Don't worry mom. A car just drove by too quickly and splashed us. " Anne said as she took off her shoes. Suddenly, she froze as she realized the mistake she made.

" What ? Who else were you walking with ? " she asked. When Anne didn't answer, she narrowed her eyes.

" It was him wasn't it ? That Ericel boy. What did I say about hanging out with him again ? " she said in a fierce tone.

" But mom, it wasn't his fault that Jo-"

" Don't you dare bring your brother into this ! Now … go upstairs and get cleaned up. " her mother said quietly.

" Yes ma'am. " Anne said as she walked quickly upstairs.

**--**

" Grandpa, can I go ? Please !? " he begged. Daisuke's grandparents looked at each other in concern. After a long while of Daisuke giving them puppy-dog eyes, they finally answered.

" Do you really want to go ? " his grandma asked.

" Yup ! " he nodded.

" And who is going to be your chaperones for this ? " his grandpa again.

" Three teachers. I have two of them for classes already and Eric has the other one. " Daisuke said.

" And is Eric going too ? " he asked.

" Yeah, he probably is." Daisuke said.

" And you'll be leaving when ? " his grandmother asked.

" … Tomorrow ? " he said sheepishly.

" Tomorrow !? " she repeated.

" Why so soon ? " his grandpa asked.

" Well, 'cause tomorrow is Friday and then it's going to be the weekend already ! And I think she said something about train tickets being cheaper or something tomorrow … ? " he explained.

" Really. Well, how will you be getting there ? " his grandpa smiled, making Daisuke smile too.

" Umm, I'm going to Eric's house tomorrow morning, and we'll just walk from there to Shinjuku, picking up anyone that's coming along. Then we'll use the Odakyu Odawara Line and from Odawara, we'll just use the Hakone Tozan Line to go to an onsen inn that we pick. " he said, remembering what Ericel told him.

" Wow, you've really thought this out huh. " his grandpa smiled while he nodded once again.

" So, I guess you better start packing. " his grandma smiled as she got up.

" So, I can go !? " he yelled happily ! Daisuke jumped up from the table and ran over to hug then.

" Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you ! "

**--**

" Dad watch out ! " Ericel yelped as he quickly turned off the stove. He looked in what was supposed to be … he wasn't sure anymore …

" Oops, sorry. " his dad apologized as Ericel sighed worriedly. Eriol came over to try his hand at cooking once again but Ericel stopped him.

" Dad, I know you said I can go and I'm thrilled about it, but are you sure you can survive without me ? " he asked in concern as he pushed his dad away from the kitchen.

" Don't worry, we can survive without you for a few days. And don't worry about food, we can order take-out ! " Loan said cheerfully.

" Everyday ? " Ericel asked.

" Of course not. But don't worry, we'll be fine ! " Eriol reassured his son.

" So, whatcha gonna do there ? " Loan asked absent-mindedly as she flipped through the TV.

" Well, mostly hang out in the inn or go exploring. " he replied as he cracked some eggs into the pan.

" Are you going to do anything educational in your trip ? " Eriol laughed.

" Yeah, I guess it's still a field trip isn't it. Well, I do hear they got the Open-Air Museum over there. " he said as he checked on the rice.

" So, do you have enough money ? " Eriol asked.

" Yeah, don't worry. I have the money from Christmas last year. " Ericel said as he added salt to his concoction.

" Well, here's a bit more. " his dad said as he put a couple thousand yen on the table.

" Oh, thanks dad. " Ericel smiled as he continued cooking.

**--**

" So, can you pay for me too ? " Ashant'e asked Misato when they started eating. Misato just stared at her for a long while as Ashant'e was started to get kinda wigged out by it.

" Will you help out the others when I need you ? " Misato asked as she ate her curry … and noodles …

" What do you mean ? " she asked as she ate her curry … plain …

" I mean, will you help the others in the cases I give them ? " she asked as she turned on the TV to the news.

" … I guess so … " Ashant'e said quietly. Misato so far seemed like a kind-hearted person, but she didn't want to owe anyone anything, more so that she didn't even know who exactly Misato was working for.

" Hey, can you hand me the sake bottle ? " she smiled, making Ashant'e roll her eyes.

" Do you like, drink sake with everything ? " she asked as she handed the bottle to her temporary guardian. Misato gratefully took it and just smiled.

" So, how goes the fire girl ? " Misato asked nonchalantly as she continued eating her weird mixture.

" She's still in that … dump. She says it's the only place where she can practice her powers in peace so … yeah. Eric visits her like, everyday though. " Ashant'e said.

" Wait, who else was taking care of her ? " Misato asked.

" Uhhh, a motorcycle gang leader … who hasn't met Eric yet ! … Oh well. " she said as Misato just gaped at her.

" What, do I have something on my face ? "

**--**

" Wow, everyone's asleep early today … " Ericel said absent-mindedly as he checked to make sure his dad and sister was sleeping. He silently hopped down the stairs and into the kitchen, grabbing Tupperware from the cabinets. Ericel sifted through the refrigerator and threw in whatever Loan or his dad couldn't eat … which was surprisingly a lot of things, making him wonder why his dad buys them in the first place.

" Ok, hmm .. wonder if she wants dessert … sure, what the heck. " he said as he put in three slices of cake he made that day into the containers. He grabbed a large grocery bag and put utensils and the bags in as he walked outside, locking the door behind him.

" Duran. Hey buddy, need you help. " Ericel smiled as he kissed his ring. Duran flashed out of the ring, moving its body around to shake out the kinks, which made Ericel laugh.

" Hey boy ! Yeah, I know it's earlier than usual but let's go visit Kat. " he patted him affectionately as he climbed aboard Duran's bad, putting the bag securely in his lap.

" Let's go ! Woo-hoo ! " he shouted happily as Duran jumped high onto the roof of their house. Ericel grinned as the wind blew through his air, refreshing him as they hopped from roof to roof, building to building in the night air. In no time, they made it to the abandoned building.

" Thanks. Wanna come in and eat ? " he asked as his Child barked, transforming itself into its adorable cute puppy form. Ericel looked at the large building, wondering why Kat never went higher than the first floor. He knocked on the door before walking in.

" Konbanwa ! " Ericel greeted before he walked inside, closing the rickety door behind him. It was unusually quiet as he walked amidst through the building, ending the in center of the plain are except for a mattress and a few couches. The moon gave off a small light but without Kat's usual fire lighting up the area, it was eerily dark. Suddenly, both Ericel and Duran's ears perked up as they heard a rock bounce along the ground.

" Hi-yah ! " Ericel looked up as a figure leaped out at of the shadows and attacked him ! He dropped the bag and bent down, pushing himself into a handstand with one arm while the other held Duran securely, kicking up with his foot to stop the predator's arm from swinging down.

" Who are you ? " they asked at the same time, both turned their heads as the door opened.

" Who's there ? " Kat yelled out, recognizing another figure besides David's as she stuck her finger out.

" Jaen. " she called out as the flamed shot out across the room, stopping in front of Ericel's face.

" Hey, it's me ! " he yelled in alarm as he fell back away from the fire.

" Oh, it's just you Ericel. " she said, making his veins cross as she used his less preferred name.

" Ooh, this is the other being from hell ? … don't look it though. " David said as Kat flicked her wrist, the flame coming from her finger lighting up multiple candles around the area.

" And you are ? " Ericel asked as he let Duran onto the ground.

" David. Leader of the Alkalis. " he said, stretching out his large hand to Ericel. He slowly shook it as he looked over at Kat, who nodded.

" Eric. " he replied, looking in awe as David burst into a kind smile.

" Oh, so you're the one who's been delivering all the food. " David said approvingly as Ericel spotted the empty containers from the other night piled in a corner.

" Hmm, I think I should be taking those back. My dad might be noticing all of our Tupperware's missing. " Ericel said.

" Your dad doesn't know you're here ? Are you sure that's an ok thing ? " David asked worriedly, making Ericel chuckle.

" He doesn't know, but I don't think he would mind. So, hungry anyone ? " Ericel smiled as he held up the bag.

**--**

" Here Duran. " Ericel cut off a bit of cake from his fork and held it to Duran's mouth who bit it off happily.

" Wow, this is great ! Who made all this food you're deliverin' ? " David asked as he finished off his plate clean.

" I do ! " Ericel accepted the compliment gratefully as he fed another piece of sweetness to Duran. Meanwhile, Kat was eating silently as she toyed around with her powers.

" So, I know Kat here can do all the fiery mumbo-jumbo, what can you do ? " he asked as he pointed to Ericel.

" Me ? I guess … I can make shields and heal wounds … and I have Duran ! " he said happily.

" What ? Little pooch here ? What can he do ? " David asked in interest. Ericel smirked as he looked down at his Child.

" He can do this. " Ericel smiled as Duran gave a small bark, before a flash of blue made them shield their eyes before Duran reappeared in all his silvery glory. David just gaped and hopped up immediately, inspecting every inch of Duran and admiring the treasure he was.

" Wow … this is so cool ! " he said, making Ericel laugh. Somehow the thirty-something man looked like a small child in the candy store.

" Yeah, he's the best. " Ericel said as they finished their eating.

" So, see you guys lat- oh wait ! " he hit his forehead as the others looked at him.

" I'm sorry, but I can't bring you … both of you any food tomorrow ! " he said sadly.

" Why ? " David asked, making Ericel sweat drop.

" We're going to Hakone tomorrow … wait a minute … Kat, why don't you come with us ! It's gonna be great ! And there's probably not gonna be a lot of kids there 'cause its so short notice but it's still gonna be fun anyway ! " he said hopefully.

" No. " she answered shortly, making Ericel frown.

" Wow, that was quick. " he commented.

" I don't feel like going anywhere. " she said simply as she stood up and wiped the dust off of a pair of old clothes Ericel brought for her.

" Don't worry, we'll see you there. " David said as Kat just gaped.

" Yay ! More people ! I mean, Davis, Anne, and Ashant'e are cool but if it's just gonna be the four of us … " he trailed off.

" Wait a minute, I never agreed to go. " Kat said.

" Lalala, David already said you're going and I can't hear anything else so bye ! See you in Hakone ! " Ericel put his hands over his ears as he ran out the door with his bags and Duran following. Before Kat could intercept them, she heard a familiar howl as she realized they were already gone. She turned around and glared at David who just smiled sheepishly. Then, his alarm went off on his arm and they both looked down at it.

" I got to go, see you tomorrow. " David said seriously as he pulled on his leather jacket.

" Yeah, see you … careful. " she warned before he gave a fleeting smile and left …

**--**

**Whew ! Another chapter down ! And look at that … it's 1:40 … AM ! Dang, I get too caught up in my stories. Anyways, please leave a review and I'll update soon !**


	20. Hakone Here We Are !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 20**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n, thanks for reviewing you guys !**

" Ittekimasu ! " Ericel waved goodbye to his dad early in the morning. Eriol waved back before Ericel hoisted his backpack up and closed the door behind him. He looked over to Daisuke's house and saw him leaving too.

" Itterasshai ! " he heard his grandparent's yell out. Daisuke waved over to Ericel as they met up at the street and started walking towards Anne's house. When they neared it, they saw Anne quietly walking out the door, crouching as she slowly stepped away … like she was sneaking …

" Hey Anne. " Daisuke said in a whisper next to her ear, making her jump up.

" Aaaggghhh ! " she screamed loudly as it rang throughout the town …

" … Hey. " Ericel said as he finally let go of his ringing ears. She gave an apologetic look as she hoisted her bag onto her back.

" Anyone else coming along the way ? " Ericel asked as they walked down the empty streets, seeing as how it was so peaceful in the morning mist.

" Not that I know of. Well, I guess we'll see when we get to Misato's house right ? " Anne said. The others just nodded and walked down the street. They continued walking in silence, and continued walking, and continued walking …

" Something's not right. " Ericel said as they stopped near a traffic light. The others looked around and realized that the fog had somehow grown much thicker in the short amount of time. Anne looked around and realized she barely could see the surrounding houses and even the sidewalks. When a flash caught his eye, Daisuke immediately grabbed his friends' backs and pulled them back.

" Whoa ! " they other two yelped as they fell back on the ground, narrowly dodging an array of needles.

" Shit. " Ericel gasped as Daisuke flipped up and threw his backpack onto the grass.

" Who's there ? " he called out as a woman in a kimono descended from the air. It had a large bow in the front of the kimono instead of in the back and it seemed to have a certain metallic shine to it. Strangely, she seemed to have a kind face but they realized she had a killing intent on her.

" Hmmm, you're better than I thought. " she said, acknowledging Daisuke's abilities. Both Anne and Ericel flipped up to join him and Anne threw her backpack to the side while Ericel kept his on.

" But, what about your friends ? " she asked emotionlessly as she threw three needles at Ericel who flipped his backpack to the front of him to act as a shield as the needles pierced into it. Daisuke looked back in worry as he heard a loud gasp, but then just sweat dropped.

" Hey ! You made holes in my clothes ! " he yelled as he threw his backpack to the side in a huff. The others prepared themselves as the lady put her hand behind her back, and in a flash swung her arm forward, dozens of needles shooting forward.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " Ericel shouted as the disk-like shield appeared and reflected the needles. In a flash, the woman appeared with needles between her fingers and swung out at Anne, who was barely able to dodge.

" Hayai ! " Anne gasped in surprise at the speed of the woman as she spun into a high roundhouse kick. But Anne gasped again as the woman disappeared in a blink and appeared next to Anne's side.

" Too slow. " the woman said as she hit the back of Anne's heel, causing her to fall back as the woman used the hand without the needles to smash in Anne's stomach, grinding her into the ground.

" Hey ! " Ericel yelled as he grabbed the woman's shoulders, as she turned and slashed at him with her needles as he bent back and dodged it. While Ericel was fighting the woman, he grabbed the injured Anne and carried her to the grass. He looked over his shoulder to see Ericel barely able to dodge the woman's incredible speed. Ever time she swung at him, he was barely able to dodge it as her speed seemed to increase with each swing. As she swung her right arm, he blocked it right before it hit his head before as he blocked her left arm. But Ericel gasped in surprise as she jumped up and kicked him square in the abdomen, sending him to the others.

" Oomph. Ow, that hurt. " Ericel gasped as he held his abdomen and Daisuke stood up. The woman stared at him as he jumped into the battle, sending out multiple hits and kicks, all of them ending up blocked. As the woman struck out with her needles at his face, he bent back so that he was almost vertical as the needles barely crossed his face. He gulped before he back flipped, kneeing her arm and sending the needles out of her hand.

" Good. " she said before she jumped up into the air, her decorative kimono flying in multiple directions as she spun in high speed. Daisuke's eyes widened as she sent down a spray of needles, completely blocking his vision from the sky. He knew that even if he sent out his sound bullet attack it wouldn't be effective so he just shielding his arms over his head and closed his eyes.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " he opened his eyes as he heard his friend's voice. He looked up as the crystal shield deflected the incoming needles until the array was over. Daisuke looked over to his friend who gave him a thumbs-up while still gripping his stomach. The woman landed back on the ground and stared at Ericel.

" You. " she said as Ericel gasped. Before he could react, she had appeared at his side at stuck a needle into the side of his neck, paralyzing him as he fell to the ground. Anne watched in horror as she stood up shakily and delivered a kick to the woman, only for her to disappear again and appear at Anne's side, giving a swift blow to Anne's neck as she went unconscious.

" Ya ! " Daisuke screamed out as he delivered a swift kick to the woman's side, though she jumped in time as Anne fell into Daisuke's arms. He laid her gently onto the ground as he looked at Ericel, who seemed to be trying to move yet couldn't. Daisuke saw that Ericel was ok for the time being as he turned back to the woman with a glare.

" Be prepared. " she said as she jumped high into the sky, making Daisuke's eyes go wide as he remembered her form. He looked over in alarm as he realized Ericel's shield was the only thing that saved him. Daisuke knew his attack would be useless against the spray but he had to try.

" I guess it's time for me to pay you back eh ? Strange though, I didn't think we would die like this … " Daisuke said as he looked at the others. Daisuke looked confused for a moment as he didn't think he would say something like that … He knew he wasn't going to be able to save them, but he was gonna try. He was about to at least try to destroy the needles heading in the others directions but when he was going to send out an attack, something came to his mind …

_' Hey ! It's you ! ' _Daisuke said as he saw his panther come out of the shadows.

_' Yes, yes it is. And my name is Miroku you human. " _it said in a disapproving tone, making Daisuke laugh.

_' So, why are you here ? Am I gonna die soon or something ? ' _he laughed before he became serious and looked his Child in the eye.

_' No … not yet at least. I'm here to ensure you survive. '_

_' Why would you want that ? So far it doesn't seem you exactly like me. "_

_' True, but if you're not here, I wouldn't be here either. So, here, use the Chakujitsu ya. '_

" Huh ? " Daisuke looked around and realized he was back in the fog. He looked up and realized the needles barrage was still coming. He closed his eyes and suddenly it came to him, a new spell …

" Well, here goes … everything. " he said as he looked up towards the oncoming needles. He put two fingers upon his lip and spread then across his mouth. With that, he gave a sharp blow, sending out a spiraling blast with disrupted the needles and sent them flying back. Daisuke got ready if the woman was going to attack again … but she didn't, she disappeared. After a while, he was sure she was gone as he hurriedly went to the others.

" Be still. " he said to Ericel who stopped moving as he slowly gripped the needle and pulled it out quickly.

" Ow ! Jesus, couldn't you have pulled the needle out of me first ? " he asked as he looked at Anne who slowly got up into a sitting position. The both gasped in pain as they felt their stomachs.

" Lay back. " Ericel said in pain as she fell back onto the grass with a loud thump.

" _Ryuuchou Mizu._ " he called out tiredly as he rose out his hands, a small orb of water appearing in each hand. Ericel put one on Anne's stomach as he put the other on his, falling back tiredly as his powers did their job. Meanwhile, Daisuke was looking down on his watch and tapped it, wondering why it wasn't moving. When Ericel and Anne were healed up, they hoisted their backpacks on again and looked around, realizing the mist was cleared.

" Come on, we're probably late already ! " Anne said as she walked faster towards Misato's house while Daisuke and Ericel lagged behind, wondering who these new opponents were. When they made it to Misato's house, they only saw Ashant'e there sitting bored on her suitcase.

" Oh my god, are we late ? " Anne asked.

" Huh ? No, you guys are early. Wait, why do you have blood on your neck ? " she asked as she pointed to Ericel. He held his hand on it and gasped as he saw blood.

" Damn, I forgot to heal the needle wound. " he realized as Anne went over and helped him put a bandage over it. Ashant'e looked over at Daisuke who explained everything.

" Hmm, so you've met another enemy too. So now that's two, we better be careful. " Ashant'e said but she stopped when she saw everyone start to gather.

" You ! " Bianca shouted at Anne as Ericel shouted at Hennifer. Daisuke looked around and also saw Tina, Caffie, and Gilbert were added to the mix, with the three teachers of course.

" So, ready to go everyone ? " Misato called out but sweat dropped as she saw some of the glares going on between them. As they started walking towards Shinjuku, Ashant'e watched as the glaring matches continued. When they boarded the train, Misato sweat dropped as she saw them still glaring. Ericel, Daisuke, Anne, Tina, Caffie, and Ashant'e were sitting on one side while the other sat Hennifer, Bianca, Gilbert, and the teachers.

" Ok, come on ! This is a trip to Hakone, lighten up everyone ! " Misato said as most of them turned to glare at her.

" Hey ! Stop giving those looks to each other right now or we're turning back ! " Ms. Garcia said as she blew her whistle. And with that, Bianca, Hennifer, Ericel, Daisuke, and Anne sat back with a huff and crossed their arms angrily. When it stopped, they all ran out at the same time, blocking the door as they struggled to get out.

" Hey, watch it ! " Ericel yelled as Hennifer got in his way.

" Move your big butt ! " Anne yelled at Bianca.

" Move yours ! " she shot back as Gilbert just sweat dropped. After a long while of squirming … and cursing … Ms. Garcia blew her whistle so loudly that it scared them and the just popped out.

" Ow. " they all groaned as they fell to the ground. They all stopped when a shadow crossed over them and they gulped as they looked up at Ms. Garcia.

" Do we have to separate you guys ? " she said as they just looked at her.

" I guess we do. We were discussing on the train that each of us teachers shall take some you as we each are going to different places. " she said making them all gape.

" Where is each of you going ? " Ericel asked.

" I'm going to the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It may be a bit crowded but there's a great onsen there and great shops. " Ms. Lopez said. Suddenly, four hands quickly shot up.

" I want to go ! " Anne, Daisuke, Tina, and Gilbert shouted out.

" Gilbert ! " Bianca yelled as she realized they were gonna be separated … and that he was going with Anne.

" Sorry, thought you raised your hand. " Gilbert smiled sheepishly.

" Eric ! " Daisuke whined.

" Sorry, don't like crowded spaces. " he explained as Ms. Lopez stood to the side where the others joined her.

" And I'm going closer to the Great Boiling Valley. Great sights there. " Misato said as Ericel looked up.

" I wanna go ! " Ericel said. When he realized Hennifer saw him and was going to want to go there too … just to annoy him, he raised Ashant'e hand.

" Ashant'e is coming too ! " he yelled as they went closer to Misato. Meanwhile, the other three girls were looking at each other in disgust.

" Eew, I don't want to go with you. " they all said at the same time as Ms. Garcia appeared in the middle of them.

" And we are going to an onsen resort I like that's also near Lake Ashi. " Ms. Garcia said as they each boarded a train on the Hakone Tozan Line and went separate ways.

" So, we're all still pretty close to each other ? " Anne asked.

" So we can visit the others if we're bored ? " Daisuke asked.

" Yeah, but tell me before you go ok ? " Ms. Lopez said as the others nodded.

" Ashant'e, you asked Misato to pay for you ? " Ericel asked as he, Misato, and Ashant'e sat down tiredly.

" Yeah, why ? "

" Couldn't you have just teleported here ? " he asked as Misato snapped to attention.

" You could have just teleported here ? " she asked as Ashant'e quickly shook her head.

" No, I couldn't have actually. I can only teleport to places I've already seen. " Ashant'e explained. The others looked on in interest as Ericel explained what happened that day.

" What ? Someone attacked you ? " Misato asked … yelled in worry. Everyone in their train stared at them as Ashant'e and Ericel sweat dropped. As she sat down slowly, she turned to the others.

" You've been attacked ? By who ? " she asked.

" Oh yeah, we've been attacked a lot lately … " Ashant'e sweat dropped as she scratched her head, making Ericel glare at her.

" You haven't even told her we almost die like … everyday ? " he asked. She slowly shook her head no as Misato looked at them.

" What is he talking about ? Ashant'e ? I think you have explaining to do. " she said.

" I don't like you. " Caffie said as Ms. Garcia was too tired to stop the fighting.

" I don't like you either. " Bianca said.

" Whatever, you two are both bitches. " Hennifer said, making them narrow their eyes. Then they started even more bickering …

" This vacation's gonna be swell … " Ms. Garcia said sarcastically.

**--**

**Anyway, another chapter done ! I hope that after you've read it you review ! I'll update soon !**


	21. Shoppers and Thieves

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 21**

**Thanks to my dear reviewers !**

" Wow. " Anne and Tina commented as they saw the slightly crumbling inn.

" Yeah, realized we were shorter on money than we thought. " Ms. Lopez apologized. Then, Daisuke pulled a free flyer out of a nearby stand and quickly skimmed through it.

" But hey, it was only two minutes from the station and it features large open-air baths on the roof with two meals for just about ¥7000 ! " Daisuke read as the others sighed in relief.

" Are the baths mixed ? " Gilbert asked with a sly smile as the girls gasped. Daisuke ignored their reactions and just flipped through the flyer. He stopped on the part that told more of the baths and read it slowly.

" Uhhh … I think they're separated … " he read slowly as he couldn't exactly remember the kanji lessons he took with Ericel. Gilbert sighed disappointedly as the girls cheered.

" But before we get to all of this, let's go to the shops ! " Tina suggested as Anne nodded happily.

" Why do I get a bad feeling about this ? " Gilbert asked.

" Because they're going to make us carry their bags. " Daisuke sighed sadly.

**--**

" Well, that was long and trecherous. " Ericel commented as they finally made it to the Great Boiling Valley. Instead of taking the cablecar like normal people, Misato suggested they hike up under the springs. But he had to admit, it was nice to see all the views as they hiked.

" I so need a rest. " Ashant'e sighed as she sat on her suitcase.

" Maybe you shouldn't have brought such a large suitcase. " Ericel chuckled while she just glared at him.

" Hey, I'm still a princess and I need these things ! " she argued back while Misato just decided to stay out of it.

" So, these hotels are a bit more expensive around the weekends but they're still pretty grand. " Misato said as she pulled out her guide book. Ericel and Ashant'e double-checked their money to make sure that they had enough but when they pulled open their packs, they gasped as their money was gone !

" Where's out money ! " they gasped as Misato sweat dropped.

" Don't you guys remember that you gave your money to me ? " she asked as the other two stopped. They put their fingers to their chin as they looked up, remembering that they did indeed give it to her to keep. Though they sighed in relief, they gasoed in horror again when they saw Misato frantically searching through her pockets …

" Oops, I think I lost it … hehehe … " she smiled sheepishly as the other two gaped. Suddenly, Ashant'e mind flashed back to that moment, when they were walking up the steps …

_As the group was continuing their way up the steps, Misato yelped as a teenager ran right into her._

_" Oops, I'm so sorry. Are you ok ? " he asked as Misato quickly got up._

_" No, it's ok. Just watched where you are going next time ok ? " Misato said as she wiped the dust off her pants. _

Ashant'e gasped as she realized what happened. She frantically thought why she mised this … and remembered.

" It was you ! " she yelled at Ericel.

" What do you mean it was me !? " he asked in confusion.

" It was your fault that I let that little thief escape ! You started that whole argument about hot springs ! " she yelled.

" Nuh-uh ! You started it ! You were the one who said it was an undecent place because we had to go in there nude ! " he yelled.

" Hey ! I think we shoud try and recover the stolen money before we start arguing again." Misato said as the other two calmed down … kind of …

" Fine, let's g- " Ashant'e froze as she felt something. Misato looked at both of the teenagers in confusion as they both just seemed to freeze.

" What's wrong ? " she asked.

" N-nothing. " Ericel quickly said, stuttering in the process. Misato quirked their eyebrow at them but she knew that if she questioned them now they wouldn't tell her the truth.

" Yeah, it's nothing. Why don't you retrace the path and we'll check in the town. " Ashant'e said quickly as Ericel shot her a look. Misato stared at them as she contemplated leaving them alone.

" Fine, be back here soon. " she said as she walked back down the steps. As Ashant'e and Ericel looked around to make sure nobody was there, he looked over to her and nodded.

" _Shikuchi. _" Ashant'e whispered as they disappeared in a poof.

**--**

" I can't believe you guys had this much money. " Daisuke mumbled under the mlutiple bags he was carrying.

" Wow, I thought I escaped this by not going with Bianca. I guess it's the same with all girls. " Gilbert sighed under the pile of bags.

" Why are you in a relationship with her anyway ? Isn't she like … a bitch to everyone, including you ? " he asked, really wondering why he did.

" I guess so huh ? But I feel kinbda obliged to ya know. I'm Mr. Popular so people just expect me to get with the prettiest girl in school, no matter how bitchy she is. " he explained nonchalantly.

" Wow, I guess being popular is harder than it looks. " he sighed, making him double-think his aspirations for high school.

" Yeah, but it beats neing a loser … or dork … or loner … no offense. " he said.

" What that supposed to be directed at me ? " he asked.

" No, no. Of course not. " Gilbert looked away quickly, making Daisuke quirk his eyebrows.

" Hey, what about this ? " Anne asked as she put on a funny hat, making both Tina and Ms. Lopez laugh.

" Hey, Anne, I wanna talk to you about something. " Tina said as they moved to the back of the group, behind Daisuke and Gilbert.

" What's up ? " Anne asked as she looked towards her best friend.

" I'm wondering, why'd you break up with the two boys in the first place just to get back with them now when you're at the peak of high school ? I mean, you're like the most popular freshman in GoldenVale history ! " Tina asked, though she regretted it immediately when she remembered the reason why she stopped seeing them … mostly because of Ericel …

" Well, some things just happened to bring us all together again. And the more time I spend with them, I realize how much I miss it … even though that time with Eric and my brother … " she trailed off.

" Ah. Ok then, anyways, what's up with the new girl Ashant'e ? She's really pretty ! And she's almost got high dialed in already since the first week ! … Well … most of the high school boys dialed in … I think we need to watch her back around the girls … anyways, ask her to sit with us at lunch sometimes ! She's starting to hang around with the other two as much as you are and rumors are starting to fly. " Tina said in a warning tone.

" Well, who cares what those rumors say, you've got to admit, it feels nice to hang around those two again. " Anne said, seeing Tina have a reminiscent smile.

" Yeah, I guess so, Davis could always make me laugh. Anyway, now that we're friends again and we could talk about stuff behind their back, who do you think has the nicer butt, including Gilbert ? " Tina asked, making Anne gape at her.

" Tina ! " she yelled.

" You're right, it's definetly Eric. "

" Tina ! " she yelled again, making the boys ahead of them look back at her.

" What are you girls talking about ? " Daisuke asked.

" Nothing ! " she yelled quickly, making them quirk their eyebrows.

**--**

" Ashant'e, what was that ? " he said in a tired voice as they ran htrough the streets.

" I have no idea. But we should be careful, that being is more powerful than we've faced so far. " Ashant'e said in slightly worried tone as they turned the corner into a dark alley …

" What the … " Ericel gasped as he heard the song.

_Everyday I play,_

_Outside in the day, _

_Though I play in the shadows._

_The blood of humans I seek …_

" Eric, stay back- Eric ? " Ashant'e wondered as she looked over, and saw his eyes were blank.

" Eric ? Come on, snap out of it ! " she yelled as she shook his shoulders.

" Whoa, what happened ? " he asked as she looked worried.

" Run, we have to get away from here now. " Ashant'e said hastily as she turned away and started running.

" But- " he started protesting.

" No arguing. " she said in a tone that actually made him quiet as she grabbed his wrist and started running out of the shadows. Suddenly, out from the shadows emerged three figures, the man with the iron arm, the kimono-wearing woman, and the little girl with the white ball.

" Smarter than we thought. " the woman said.

" You're right. She might interfere with our chances of winning the battle … Miyu, why don't you do something ? " the girl said.

" At once, Alyssa-sama. " the woman bowed before she took the needle out of her hair.

" _Gomuzaku._ " she whispered as the needle shown a dim light before it stopped and the woman fainted into the man's arms.

" Take her back Chad. " she said as the man nodded and disappeared into the shadows. Meanwhile, Ashant'e was trying to take Ericel as far away as possible when she felt something hit her neck, and she fainted.

" Ashant'e ! What happened ? Get up ! " he called as he shook her shoulders, wondering what happened.

" Help ! Help me please ! " Ericel's ears picked up. Suddenly, he realized that they were no longer in the city and were by a small creek in an empty field. He wondered if he imagined it but then he raised his head when he heard it again. Ericel looked over and saw a teenager boy just around his age running away from a large demon !

" Come on Ashant'e, Akuma alert ! " Ericel tried to wake her up but it was futile.

**--**

**Yes, another chapter done ! Hope you review and I'll update soon ! See ya all on school tomorrow !**


	22. Empowerment !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher **

**Chapter 22**

**Thanks all you guys for reading and reviewing !**

" Dammit. " Ericel cursed as he looked at it and just then realized how large it really was. He saw the spiky-headed teenager run towards him and gasped.

" Uhhh … take her and get out of here. " Ericel said quickly as he looked over at the unconscious Ashant'e. The boy looked between them quickly as he seemed regrettable about calling about for help.

" B-but … " he started.

" Come on, we have to get out of here. " Ericel said strongly, even though he could hardy prevent his legs from shaking violently as he saw the giant ogre looming over them, its mouth panting hungrily. The boy looked at him quickly before he ran to Ashant'e and helped her up as Ericel took her shoulder. They started running as the monster continued behind them, smashing its way through the ground.

" Damn. " Ericel said tiredly as he looked back and saw the monster was easily gaining up on them.

" What the heck is chasing us, I don't see anything ! " the teenager with the boyish face said as Ericel gasped.

_' Is it possible that normal people can't see the demons ? But then how did he know … '_ he wondered as he looked back and down at the ground, and he saw. Every step the monster took, it left a large footprint in the ground, and Ericel realized that was how this boy could tell something was chasing him. He looked up and saw the drooling mouth and didn't have to think about why he was chasing them.

" Go, go on ! " Ericel said as he pushed them forward, but the boy stopped.

" Wait, what about you ? What's going on ? " he asked as Ericel gave him a look.

" Just go ! Take her to safety ! Now ! No arguing ! " Ericel yelled, though he hated it. But the boy seemed to get the message as he turned and ran faster into the haze that appeared, covering their bodies. When he saw a large shadow looming over him, he turned around just in time to avoid a large amount of the ogre's saliva coming down, acting like acid and completely decimating the ground.

" Ah ! _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " Ericel yelped as he raised his hands, his crystal shield coming up just in time to take most of the blow as the monster smashed his fist into the spot where Ericel previously was.

" Dang, that was my only defense spell. " he gasped in pain as he tried to get up off the ground yet still unable to keep the blood from dripping out his mouth. Ericel closed his eyes and realized that he could still hear the boy's footsteps and knew that they weren't far enough from him for him to use Duran, that and the fact he was still in a populated area, though this fog seemed to keep them out, but he couldn't risk it.

" Aarrgg ! " Ericel's head shot up when he heard the monster growl and jump towards him ! When he realized the monster was soon going to smash on him, he gasped as he realized he wouldn't be able to get away in time or defend against it. He fell back and laughed sadly as he waited for it to happen, when his ears picked something up.

" A motor ? " he thought silently as he looked up and gasped when he saw the ogre coming down.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " he called out in hope as the shield came again, blocking the impact. Though it quickly broke afterward, he gasped as he saw it, the new design on his shield. It was there, intricate designs flowing throughout the plain shield and the large white jewel in the center that radiated out an extra barrier of energy. Then he realized that the barrier had actually held out, until he lost concentration by the pull of his shirt.

" Hey, need a hand ? " Ericel gasped as he heard the voice of … David ?

**--**

" I'm beat. " the teenagers said tiredly as they fell onto a bench. Most tired of course were Daisuke and Gilbert, who had practically fainted from exhaustion. Suddenly, Anne looked down in surprise as her ring started glowing fiercely again. She looked over at the sleeping Daisuke and saw that his ring _wasn't_ glowing, confusing her as to why she was the only one that sensed these things.

" Maybe I'm hallucinating … and maybe I'm not. " she said as she saw a small demon … in the lingerie ! Anne's vein crossed in anger as the demon stopped and looked at her. She knew that no matter how small the demon, it could still hurt someone as she looked at her friends.

" Uhh … gotta go to the bathroom. " Anne said as she disappeared behind a fence.

" Anne ! Wrong bath … room … I feel … sleepy … " Tina yawned as she fell against Gilbert who had quickly fallen asleep.

" _Kaze no Hana. _" she blew on her finger as the mist appeared and whipped around her friends and teacher, making them fall asleep. When the demon spotted the power, he immediately jumped away.

" Hey ! " Anne yelled as she ran after it. It had on a pair of bras on its head as it bounced from stand to stand, leaving a giant mess in its wake.

" Hey ! Stop ! … Oomph ! " Anne fell back as a cloth flew into her face and she tripped. The frog-like demon grinned toothily at her as it hopped away.

" Come back here you little rascal ! " she yelled as she dove for it and missed … and dove … and dove … and dove again. Anne looked down at her dirtied body and glared at the demon angrily ... who gulped.

" Get back here ! " she screamed as she followed its incredible speed as it bounded from spot to spot. When she finally tripped over something, she dropped face down. Anne sighed as she lifted her face, and froze. The demon was right in front of her … and it opened its mouth, it's tongue shooting out …

" Aaaggghhh ! " Anne screamed her head off as she raised her hand out and her fan appeared, which she used to swack it away. It sent off in a scream … and she finally opened her eyes. She looked around and realized she was in …. a garden ?

" O …k … ? " she quirked an eyebrow as she got up. Anne surveyed the garden-like background, and was brought back to attention by a sharp screech ! Suddenly, she felt danger near as she looked around and realized there were multiple demons that looked exactly the same ! She knew all the playing was over as she braced herself against this new danger.

" I think I'm in real danger this time … what ? " she looked down at her ring as it glowed and told her of incoming danger. Anne looked around at the monsters then back at her ring in confusion.

_' If this isn't the danger my ring senses … what is ? '_

**--**

" Aah ! " Ericel yelped as David rode skillfully from side to side, dodging the ogres attacks. Kat meanwhile was floating around, trying to find a weakness to the giant. Ericel stopped yelling and thought seriously about what Kat had told him.

_" Whoa, thanks for the help ! … But can you let me on ? "_ _Ericel asked as he dangled on the side of the motorcycle while Kat occupied the back seat. David looked down at him and flashed him a toothy smile which didn't help Ericel ease his fright at all._

_" That shield before. " she said in a warning tone._

_" Yeah, what about it ? " he asked._

_" Don't use it again. " she said quietly._

_" What ? Why ? It suddenly got a power upgrade ! " he yelled as he looked at David who just gave him a look that told him to listen to Kat._

_" Exactly. It's too powerful, if they know you've grown this powerful, they will only send more and more monsters like this. " Kat tried to explain calmly. Ericel stopped even though he still had a worried look on his face._

_" But I have to use it … it's the only way I can help them … " he said in a quiet voice, making Kat react._

_" … Fine. But only use it in an emergency, we can't allow them to go after you. " she said before her medium suddenly appeared. He wondered how she was able to do that without chanting the spell. Ericel tried to yell after her as she flew off but wasn't able to as he watched her fly away._

**--**

" _Jaen ! _" Kat yelled as she shifted from one spot to the other, firing small blasts at every inch of the ogre's body to find a weakness, but so far she was unsuccessful. Her gaze shifted to the motorbike and quickly looked away, but Ericel caught it.

" She's worried about us. " David said, realizing what Ericel was looking at.

" Kat's isn't going at full power because she knows that we're here. " Ericel realized as he looked up.

" You should go. I didn't want to bring out Duran because of the nearby houses … "

" But we've been driving in the same direction for a while and nothing's changed. " David concluded as Ericel nodded.

" Maybe this fog is here just to keep me and Kat here. " Ericel said as he looked into David's eyes. David wouldn't usually leave someone behind and run off, but he knew he wasn't any help here. With just a look from David, Ericel knew he understood.

" _Duran, time to come out and play. _" Ericel chanted as he kissed his ring, right before a power circle appeared on the ground and Duran popped out in a flurry of ice. David gave a small wave before Ericel jumped off and landed on Duran. He looked back and saw David riding off … disappearing into the fog. Duran jumped to the side as the ogre suddenly pulled a giant club out of nowhere and smashed down.

" The side. Of his hand, the one that's holding the club. " Kat said as she floated nearby. Ericel looked at her in question when she motion to the ogre with her head, and he saw. There was a large purple gash on the green skin stretched across its hand. He couldn't see it before but now that he had a clear look, he saw it.

" Come on, we should destroy it in one blow. " Kat said as Ericel nodded. Ericel petted his wolf gently as he readied it.

" Now. " Kat said as they split and headed in different directions.

" Duran, Load Chrome Cartridge ! " Ericel yelled as the familiar whirring filled his ears.

" _Dai-_ " Kat started as a glowing flame lit up her fingertip.

" Fire/_Jaen_ ! " they both called as their attacks erupted. The missiles hit straight into the wound … and started to sink in … but bam ! Kat's explosive spirals attack hit the missiles dead on and they exploded, trapping the entire monster in a giant torching flame !

" Damn … that's a good light show … " Ericel said as Kat just stared on. She stared at Ericel in concern as a motor noise came near to them.

**--**

" _Kaze no Hana ! _" Anne yelled out as the mist spiraled towards the enemy but they quickly dispatched before it hit them. As it quieted once again, Anne braced herself. She gasped as the little demons appeared around her and liquefied ! She looked on in horror as they turned into strong whips and wrapped themselves around her, constricting her !

" Davis … please … " she choked out as she whimpered in pain as the tendrils wrapped around her wrist.

_' I know it … I'm not strong enough … ' _she thought sadly as she almost dropped her fan, than she thought of her friends …

_' No ! If I can't do this now, I'll never be able to help them ! '_ she thought with determination as strangely, the band around the bottom of the fan where she gripped it started to tingle. Anne closed her eyes and concentrated, knowing her fan's power. Her grip lessened, because she wanted it to as the purple band around the handle separated and struck out at the vines, destroying them as she landed on the ground with her fan out to her side. She spread it out and moved it slowly in front of her, where the majority of the demons were.

" I'm not afraid anymore ! Now, come ! " she yelled as they turned into a giant vine and headed straight for her. Anne calmed down and closed her eyes, preparing for it.

" Ha ! " she yelled as she did a powerful swing up, destroying the giant whip that was just about to hit her. Anne slowly opened her eyes and smiled as a new spell came to her mind. She looked over to the garden on the side and dashed towards it as the monsters reacted to her movement by surrounding her again.

" Not this time. " she said confidently as she swept her fan through a bush of roses, scattering its petals in the air.

" _Bara Katawa ! _" she screamed out as suddenly, each and every single rose petal shined bright and multiple. With a swift move of her fan, the roses grew sharp as it revolved in a tornado around her and quickly destroyed all the creatures with its razor sharp edges ! When she realized that she had actually won, she laid her hand upon her chest and sighed.

" Holy sh- " she gasped in horror as there was still one left, and it multiplied ! But this time, it started growing upon itself more and more as it started to become a large creature !

" _Hibiki Tama ! _" Anne turned as Daisuke flipped onto the area and swung his pole down in a powerful arc, the sound attack blasting the creature to bits.

" Davis … I-I mean, Davis, it can rejuvenate ! " Anne warned as he nodded quickly. Daisuke put his fingers on his lips as he prepared for the Chakujitsu Ya attack. With one might blow, the sound erupted from his fingers and completely decimated the remains of the monsters … with a large part of the ground too …

" Uhh … I think we should get out of here … " Daisuke said as he and Anne surveyed the heavily damaged area. She nodded and they ran out of there.

**--**

**Yay ! Another chapter done ! Hope you like it with Ericel and Anne's power upgrade ! Please review and I'll update soon !**


	23. Hot Springs and Secrets Revealed !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher **

**Chapter 23**

**Thanks to all my reviewers !**

" I think its time to check into our hotel. " Anne said as they regrouped a while later after they just had their battle.

" I can't believe you made me fall asleep with the others. " Daisuke whispered as he and Anne stayed in the back.

" Well sorry. If you weren't so tired it wouldn't have affected you much. "

" Well sorry for being tired after carrying your bags for the entire afternoon ! " Daisuke whispered angrily as they glared at each other. Tina meanwhile was staring after them, trying not to grin … or gossip.

" Well, let's check in everybody ! " Ms. Lopez said happily as they entered the inn. The others watched as little kids ran through the small and comfortable place and the adults chasing them.

" This looks really nice. " Anne said as she looked around.

" Yeah, wonder how Eric's doing ? " Daisuke wondered.

**--**

" Misato ! " Eric called as he and the group ran up to her.

" Where were you ? " she asked in worry as she saw the new companion they had.

" Uhh … fighting a monster … and did you find the guy ? We need to go somewhere private so I can finish healing her. " Ericel said as Misato noticed that Ashant'e was limping with a bandage around her leg.

" Remember what I said. " Kat warned as Ericel nodded. When it was over, he almost used his power in front of the boy but he was stopped. She told him that he had another unique power, and that he shouldn't use it … in case of emergencies.

" Hey Kat … and big muscular motorcycle man … and young boy with spiky hair. " Misato greeted as they all waved, except for Kat.

" Oh, name's Duc ! And if I can ask, what happened back there !? " he yelled as the others gasped, remembering that some normal people can't see monsters …

" Uhhh … I dunno ! These two came just in time to rescue me ! Thanks for taking care of her by the way. " Ericel said as Ashant'e remained quiet, thinking about what happened before the incident … or that she couldn't remember …

" Anyways, you didn't find our money ? " Ashant'e asked as Misato sadly nodded no.

" So then, should we head back ? " David asked.

" Wait, you guys looking for a place to stay ? " Duc asked, making them turn towards him.

" Then I think I can help ! " he grinned boyishly.

**--**

(1)" _Tadaima !_ "

" Chibi-sama ! Where have you been, we've been worried sick ! " the others stood shocked in place as several men in uniform and shades ran towards Duc and started fussing over him. Duc seemed to take on a new personality as he raised his hand and they quieted down.

" Look, I'm sorry that I forgot to call, but I was just out for a walk. No worries ok. Tell dad I'm sorry and that I'll be staying here with my friends ok ? " Duc said in a serious voice as he pointed to the others.

" Uhhh … yeah. " the group waved.

" But- " the guard started but Duc stopped him.

" Don't worry, I'm just staying here with my grandparents ok ? " The guard seemed to hesitate but Duc just gave him a pleasing look.

" Hai. I'll just tell Mr. Takahashi that you're staying with his father and mother. " the men in black bowed as they proceeded out the door, everyone moving out of the way nervously. Duc just turned over and grinned at them, completely replacing his attitude and making the others sweat drop.

" Hey, anyone there ? " they turned their heads as an old voice yelled out in a heavy kansai-dialect.

(2)" _Jii-chan ! Baa-chan ! Nanika atta ?_ " Duc asked cheerfully as everyone looked at Ericel.

" What ? " he asked.

" What did they say ? " Ashant'e asked as he just looked at them.

" Don't you guys understand ? We all live in Tokyo ! "

" Yeah, but I was a mindless slave for 13 years. " Kat said.

" I barely know enough to understand. Everyone I know speaks English. " David said.

" I can sort of understand but I didn't pay attention in my classes. " Ashant'e said, making Ericel sigh.

" And I teach at an _international_ school, which means I don't have to speak Japanese. " Misato emphasized as Ericel just looked at all of them with a quirked eyebrow.

" How could all of you live in Tokyo without knowing Japanese ? " he asked in bewilderment as the family just chatted to the side.

(3)" _Dou shiteru ?_ " Duc asked as his grandparents just gave a kind smile.

(4)" _Aikawarazu desu._ " his grandma replied happily while his grandpa moved to the others.

(5)" _Konbanwa._ "

" _Konbanwa._ " Ericel bowed back as Duc quickly explained the situation to them.

(6)" _Onegai Jii-chan_ ? " Duc begged as his grandpa couldn't help but smile. He nodded and Duc yelled happily.

" We got it you guys ! " Duc yelled happily as the others cheered.

(7)" _Yattajanai !_ " Ericel said to Duc happily while they both nodded excitedly.

" Does it feel they're just speaking another language ? " Ashant'e whispered to the others as the slowly nodded …

" But hey, I hope this isn't a bother. I know this inn is closed for the weekend, I hope we're not intruding. " Misato said worriedly while Duc just shook his head.

" No, don't worry. Its ok, we would've been lonely anyways. " Duc grinned as the others decided to accept it.

" Then let's get to our rooms ! " Ericel said happily as they carried their bags into the back. They gasped in surprise as they passed a large game room and proceeded into their large rooms that were comfortably similar.

" Girls can go in this room and you guys stay in here … oh, do ya mind if I stay here with ya too ? I _did_ kinda say I was staying here … " Duc said as they all remembered what happened when they first walked in. But with a look from Misato and Ericel, they decided not to ask him about it … yet …

" Sure, you got us this place for free ! Come on, let's unpack ! " David said excitedly as Kat sighed into her hand.

**--**

" So, what are we gonna do first ? " Tina asked as they settled into the center room that connected them to their separate rooms. Ms. Lopez went to take a nap and allowed them to do what they wanted as long as they stayed in the hotel.

" Hot spring ! " Gilbert yelled loudly as the others just looked at him.

" Yeah, sure. What the heck, we should get relaxed. " Daisuke had to agree as they quickly went back to their rooms. Minutes later, they changed into thin robes as they carried towels, tubs, and shampoo with soaps. As they exited into the hallway, they smiled as they saw some naked children run by them.

" Know what I heard ? " Gilbert whispered to Daisuke as they fell back.

" What ? "

" The baths are separated like you said, but it's only separated by a small wall ! " Gilbert said excitedly as Daisuke just stared.

" So ? "

" Come on man ! You know what I mean. " Gilbert lifted his eyebrows suggestively as Daisuke's eyes opened in realization.

" Bye you guys, see ya later. " Tina said in a singsong voice as they separated into their different lockers. The girls took off their robes, used to be naked already as they had to be in school, and quickly got near vacant area.

" So, what were you talking about with Davis ? " Tina asked as she started washing her body.

" Nothing you need to know about. " Anne grinned as Tina just pouted.

" Awww, you're no fun. " Tina whined as they finished showering up. They both wrapped their towels around themselves and walked out into the steam.

" Wow … nice view. " Anne looked up at the stars as they walked towards the springs. They took off their large towels and carefully wadded in, wrapping their long hair up in a small towel they had brought along.

" Wow … this is nice. " Tina said serenely as she lay her head back against the edge of the pool and just relaxed. Meanwhile, the boys had moved closer and closer to the wall.

" Come on. " Gilbert said.

" No. "

" Come on. "

" No. "

" Come on ! "

" No ! "

" Fine, but I'm catching all the booty by myself. " Gilbert grinned as he looked around. He pulled out the small towel and wrapped it around his waist as he started climbing up the wall …

" Be careful, Anne has ears like a fox. " Daisuke warned as Gilbert just smirked down. As he continued climbing up, Daisuke shook his head sadly and moved to the other side.

" Hey Anne … Anne ? " Tina asked as she saw her friend being quiet.

" Wait, I think I see someone. " Anne said as Tina quickly covered herself up underwater. Suddenly, Anne's eyes flashed toward the wall and she grabbed a nearby bucket that she was using to cleanse herself.

" Over there ! " Anne yelled as she got up, pulled the towel over her body, spun, and threw the barrel, smirking as it hit the shadow and it fell from the wall screaming …

" I told you so. " Daisuke said sadly as Gilbert slowly floated up to the surface, his eyes swirling.

**--**

" Now, what are we gonna do ? It's near night but we can still do something ! " Duc said. The others thought about it quickly in their comfortable robes as they surveyed the area around them.

" Game room ! " Ashant'e, Ericel, and Duc yelled simultaneously. The others just looked at each other nervously as they quickly walked to the large room next door, admiring all that it had to give. Ashant'e and Ericel quickly eyed the pool table while Duc walked over to a cabinet and pulled out paddles and a ball.

" Ping-Pong ? " Duc grinned as they quickly eyed their surroundings. Ashant'e and Ericel quickly spotted their teacher as they quickly turned back to each other and glared.

" I get Misato ! " they yelled as their teacher just laughed.

" No, I don't feel like playing right now. Massage chair David ? " Misato grinned as she pointed to the large seats.

" With sake Misato ? " David grinned as he suddenly pulled out two bottles from … nowhere …

" I like the way you think. " Misato grinned as Ashant'e and Ericel quickly looked around again.

" Kat ! " Ericel yelled as she looked up.

" … Do I have to ? "

" Yes. " Ericel said quickly, said quickly, making her sigh.

" Fine. " she said sadly as she moved towards them.

" Then I guess I'm with you ! " Duc said as Ashant'e nodded and grabbed a paddle.

" And here we go ! " Ashant'e yelled as she threw the ball up into the air and smashed it hard …

**--**

" Now, what are we supposed to do ? " Anne grinned as she looked over at Gilbert who had a giant lump on his head.

" I dunno. Let's just go back to our room for now. " Daisuke said as they walked back to their room. When they entered, they saw Ms. Lopez was already asleep as they realized how dark it was.

" Hey, maybe we should go to sleep … " Tina said. The others wanted to do some other things but they did realize it was pretty late.

" Come on, we might as well. If we go to sleep early, it just means we can wake up earlier tomorrow right ? " Daisuke pointed out as they all nodded. They quickly left each other and went into their separate rooms.

**--**

" No ! " both Ashant'e and Ericel sweated heavily as the collapsed on the table. Duc just sweat dropped as he slowly moved away from the table … Kat already sitting in one of the massage chairs. Both Misato and David were drinking from the bottle now as they were clearly drunk.

" This _will not _end with a TIE ! " they screamed as the tried to get up.

" Hehehe … maybe you two should rest. " Duc said quietly, but sweat dropped as they turned and glared at him.

" Oh, you're probably right. Let's end it a tie … for today ! " Ericel yelled as Ashant'e nodded tiredly. They turned to their chaperones and sweat dropped as they thought of having to carry them back to the room … good things its only a few steps away … a few _very_ long steps …

**--**

Daisuke and Gilbert were in the darkness of their room as Daisuke shifted uncomfortable. He glanced over and saw that his roommate was quickly asleep as he slowly got up in his robe and quietly slid open the door.

" Ah ! " he and Anne yelped as their eyes met. They both realized that they couldn't sleep as they headed outside onto a nice patio. Anne sat down in a chair as Daisuke sat down on the side of the deck where is foot hung loosely off the side. They quietly just sat there and gazed up at the moon as they remembered their past habit …

" Do you mind ? " she asked quietly as he shook his head.

" No, it's ok. " Daisuke said as she laid back and held her hand up. Suddenly, her ring flashed and a wind blew through the air, sending off the wind chimes and the trees. As Daisuke slowly outstretched his hands, a single leaf blew off from the trees and fell into his hands.

" I wonder if I can still do this. " Daisuke said quietly as he placed his lips gently onto the leaf, and blew. Anne suddenly felt at peace as she leaned her head back and listened as Daisuke somehow had the unique ability to play music on a simple leaf. When the familiar melody rang through the building, they suddenly felt a pull as they looked up at the moon …

**--**

" Couldn't sleep either ? " Ashant'e asked as she sat up and saw Kat sitting by the window. She motioned to a chair next to her and Kat just nodded as Ashant'e sat down.

" So, how are things going livin' out there with David ? " Ashant'e asked, trying to start up conversation.

" It's ok. It just gives me more and more time to train. And may I ask, why haven't you told the others about it yet ? " Kat asked still staring out the window as Ashant'e frowned.

" And why do you say that ? "

" Eric's growing stronger. " Kat said as Ashant'e frowned sadly.

" I knew it. I hope he wasn't, but after seeing that his first two spells were so powerful, I knew it. A healing spell and a shield that grew so powerful today. I was knocked out and I still felt the power. " Ashant'e said sadly she looked out the window too.

" He's a QUEEN. " Kat said.

" A QUaint Element Enchantor. I'm afraid for the others too. " Ashant'e said as she remembered Ericel's new power improvement.

" The girl, Anne. I sense a strong power from her, I think she may be a PRINCESS. " Kat realized as she could tell the moment her eyes landed on her.

" So she's like me. We both have Perfect Realization of INdependent acCESS. And Davis, I heard that he took on an opposing Ryoushi in one blast. "

" Yeah, he's like me, a HiME. The power of Highly-Advanced Materializing Equipment. That's why you haven't told them isn't it. If any opposing teams learn of them, it's gonna be hell for them. " Kat said as she remembered her numourous battles, not only as a slave but as a Ryoushi in her own will.

" So, you've caught on. " Ashant'e gave a sad chuckle as she looked out the window.

" I think you shouldn't tell them. " Kat said, surprising Ashant'e.

" Really, I though you would give me the speech my old teacher gave me every single day. That its our destiny to participate in this battle, and that there's no way out. "

" True, but I really shouldn't think you should tell them. They're too young to fight in this battle. Most of us have been trained since we were young, but they were lucky enough to be raised as normal children. We can't send them off to their death like this. " Kat said, Ashant'e completely agreeing.

" But Ericel might be catching on. We've mentioned it around him too much and I think he's caught on. " Ashant'e said sadly as both of the girls' ears suddenly perked up. They both raised their heads and stared at the moon …

**--**

When Ericel sneaked outside, he walked around the backyard and looked on at the beautiful scene before him. There was a crystal clear pond with many fish in it, complete with a small bridge and many other decorations. He looked at the stone temple, and stared at the beautiful chinese silvergrass that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Ericel looked around and spotted a small bench under a giant sakura tree.

" This is nice. " Ericel realized as he leaned back. Then, he pulled out a small pad and a piece of sharped charcoal. He flipped open his drawing book and went to an empty page, touching the charcoal to the page lightly before he began.

" … Hmmm … ? " Duc looked around as he sat up and realized Ericel was gone. He looked around and pulled his robe tighter around him, crawling outside and gently closing the door behind him. He walked around and realized the back door was slightly open. He peeked out and saw a silhouette bathed in the moonlight, and realized it was Ericel.

" Wow. " Duc said, shocking Ericel. He loked up in surprise as Duc eyes his drawing.

" When did you get here ? " he asked in surprise. Ericel couldn't believe that he was so concentrated on drawing that he missed hearing the boy.

" Can I see ? " Duc asked quietly, afraid to break this perfect moment as ericel slowly nodded. He moved over a bit and allowed Duc to sit down next to him. Suddenly, the both felt a jerk as they both stared up at the moon …

**--**

**Hey, another chapter down ! And a few cliffhangers in this one, so please review and I'll update soon ! Oh, and here's the translations for the phrases !**

**(1) " I'm home ! "**

**(2) " Grandpa, grandma, what's up ? "**

**(3) " How's everything ? "**

**(4) " Same as usual. "**

**(5) " Good afternoon. "**

**(6) " Please grandpa ? "**

**(7) " You did it ! "**


	24. Anime Trip !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 24**

**Thanks for reviewing Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, and Sapph1reDrag0n ! Glad you like my story !**

The moment each teenager looked at the moon, the moon shined brightly and they were blinded. When they slowly lowered their fist and looked around, they realized the others were also nearby and they were in a white void.

" W-what's happening ? " Duc asked alarm as they all looked around quickly. They were about to come closer to each other when they all froze as a bounce could be heard. All of their ears zoned in on the familiar sound of rubber bouncing against a surface as they all looked towards a dark hole that seemed to just appear.

" Well, I think I want to give you guys a chance to get out of this battle. " The all gasped as a vaguely familiar little girl appeared, holding a ball between her hands. Suddenly, six golden needles flew out and hit them all on forehead, its energy sinking into them as one by one they fell unconscious. The girl frowned for a moment before she held her ball out in front of her, and it started to glow a pure white.

" _Jitsuzai_. " she called out as the ball's energy flew out and circles the group, sending them disappearing in a flash.

**--**

Ericel slowly rubbed his head as he moved up into a sitting position. He looked around and realized he was in a street in the middle of a town he didn't recognize … and then he realized there was a body next to his.

" Ah " he yelped as he fell down. Ericel looked down at his body and quirked his eyebrow. It was his body … yet it didn't feel like _his_ body. He looked like a 16 year old teenager … which didn't feel right to him. He looked over at the other guy and saw he was about the same age too, and he was wearing a gray school uniform. He looked down and realized he had the same one on.

" … " he gasped in shock as he held his throat. For some reason, he couldn't talk ! Ericel quickly moved over to the other boy and shook him gently, not knowing who he was. The boy grunted as he slowly woke up. Duc moved his book bag to the side as he moved up into a sitting position and tiredly wiped his eyes. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open in shock as he looked around hastily.

" Who are you ? " he pointed as his eyes landed on Ericel. He pointed at himself and frowned … shrugging. Then, he pointed at Duc, who just quirked his eyebrow.

" Me. I'm … I'm … not sure. Wow, this is really weird. " Duc said in a confused tone as they both scratched their short hair. Suddenly, there eyes went wide as they felt something … strange.

" Oh my god ! " Duc and Ericel yelped as they felt the earring on their right ears. Something just told them it was new to their body as they surveyed their surroundings. Suddenly, their eyes rested on the bags they had around their shoulder. They quickly searched through their bag as their eyes rested on a nametag on each of their straps.

" Duc ? … " Duc read as the name sounded familiar … yet he couldn't understand why. He looked over to ask what Ericel's name was, and found him struggling to say the words out loud.

" Ericel ? That's your name ? " Duc asked as Ericel slowly nodded, still unsure of it himself. They quickly looked up as they heard footsteps and turned towards their left as an orange-haired boy neared them.

" … Huh ? Who are you guys ? " The boy gave off a scary aura with his furrowed brows and scowl so Duc seemed to just have a feeling of protectiveness as he moved over Ericel.

" Duc … I think … who are you ? " Duc said as he got suspicious for some reason.

" Hey, you guys are wearing the Karakura High School uniform … Name's Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo. "

**--**

" Hey, you ok ? " Anne tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she automatically fixed the hat on her head. She felt something was wrong as she couldn't remember her name, or what she was doing in a called Tomoeda. She looked over at him and then down at her and realized they both were wearing the same uniform … and wearing backpacks !

" Anne ? … Is that my name ? " she said in wonder as she went through her bag. Anne looked over at the boy and wondered if she should look through his bag too. She knew that she had to so she quickly searched through his bag and saw that his name was Daisuke … and he did pretty badly in math.

" There isn't anything. " Anne sighed as she looked for a notebook or journal to tell her who she was. She only saw some schoolwork here and there and a book or two. Anne looked around the peaceful neighborhood and spotted a nearby store called Twin Bells. She hoisted the unconscious Daisuke onto her shoulder and carried him into the quant store that was decorated with multiple plushies …

" Someone, help ! " Anne called out as a beautiful middle-aged woman appeared, securing her headband into place before gasping.

" Oh dear ! Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan ! " she called out before she swept her long skirt to the side and walked quickly towards Anne. As they gently laid Daisuke down, Anne looked up and saw two more girls run in. One of them had short brown hair and the other had long dark hair, both wearing the same uniform as her.

" Ah ! " the brown haired-girl yelped as she and the other girl moved down next to Daisuke, the dark-haired girl checking Daisuke's pulse. As a small key that resembled a star dangled from the brown-haired girl's neck, it caught Anne's eye but she left it alone for now.

" Konnichiwa. Watashi wa Tomoyo Daidouji. " Anne raised her head to the dark-haired girl's soft and kind voice as she gave a smile.

" Konnichiwa. Anne. " Anne greeted as she turned back to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper nodded as Anne sighed in relief, knowing he was ok.

" Hey ! I'm Sakura Kinomoto ! " the brown-haired said in a happy tone, making Anne sweat drop.

" Anyways, are you two kids going to the Tomoeda Elementary School too ? " the shopkeeper asked as she noticed their uniforms.

" I … I'm not sure … " Anne said quietly, making them turn to stare at her.

**--**

The moment Ashant'e and Kat's eyes met, they quickly flipped up and moved into a stance, ready for battle. They quickly looked around the riverbed and turned back to each other, poised for attack.

" Who are you ? " they both asked at the same time, and they both froze. Neither of them knew the answer … they couldn't remember who they were ! Suddenly, they broke apart as their eyes boggled when they heard a loud scream of excitement ! They gasped a giant flood of yellowtail was flowing down the hill … and a little blonde boy was riding them !

" Woohoo ! Yellowtail ! " he shouted happily as they fell into the river.

" No ! Vulcan ! Vuulllcaaannn ! " the two girls sweat dropped as a cardboard robot flew out of the boy's hands and he started swimming after it frantically …

" Yeah ! … Vulcan ! … Aggghhh ! " the boy's eyes grew side as he realized he couldn't get out. The two girls just stared after him as the boy continued screaming and flowed down the river.

" Anyway … who are you … and where are we ? " Ashant'e asked as Kat just stared at her.

" I could ask you the same thing. " Kat said, not trying to look foolish. Ashant'e was about to retort when something caught her eye.

" Gash ! " They looked up as a brown-haired teenager came running down the hills. The boy ran down the side of the river, seemingly searching for the small child.

" … Ok … anyway- "

" Takamine-kun ! " they were interrupted once again as another teenager came running down the hill. The two girls sweat dropped as they saw her running after the other two at a high speed. They were going to talk again, but they stopped to see if they were going to be interrupted or not.

" … So … " Ashant'e began when there was a huge explosion.

" Where the hell are we !? " Ashant'e yelled while Kat just stared at the explosion.

**--**

As Ichigo and Duc stared at each other, Ericel suddenly gasped in pain. Duc looked back and saw Ericel touching the back of his head lightly, pulling his hand back and realizing there was blood there. Suddenly, his eyes rolled back as he rolled consciousness.

" Ericel ! " Duc called out as he caught him and looked over at Ichigo.

" Come on, my family runs a clinic. " Ichigo said quickly as he helped get Ericel up. He and Duc quickly made it over to the Kurosaki clinic and burst through the door.

" Oya-jii ! " Ichigo called out as a middle-aged man burst out from nowhere and sent out a kick towards Ichigo.

" Not now, we need help ! " Ichigo yelled as Isshin, his father immediately stopped.

" Well why didn't you say so ! Karin, Yuzu ! Prepare a bed ! " Isshin called out as two small girls that seemed to be only eight appeared and quickly assessed the situation.

" Oto-san ! What happened !? " the light haired child asked in a small voice as she looked at Ericel.

" Come Yuzu, just hurry up and prepare the bed ! " the dark-haired child called out as she quickly helped her dad and brother.

" What happened !? He wasn't bleeding before ! " Duc said in worry as he watched the Kurosaki family quickly check over Ericel.

" It seems that he has a severe injury to the head. Have there been any problems you noticed ? " Isshin asked Duc in a tone completely different from before.

" Ummm, he couldn't talk … I don't think. And neither of us remembers anything before we woke up on the street … " Duc said quietly.

" Ichigo, check over this young man too. " Isshin said as Ichigo slowly nodded, Duc quietly obeying them.

" Is he going to be ok ? " Duc asked as Karin and Ichigo checked him over.

" You said _neither_ of you remember anything before today ? " Isshin asked as Duc slowly nodded.

" By the looks of it, the head injury dealt to his head isn't that serious … but it must be more serious because a small injury like this shouldn't be strong enough to deal amnesia …. I'm not sure. But why don't both of you just rest for now. " Isshin said as Duc slowly nodded. As Yuzu tucked them both in, much to Duc's dismay, Isshin pulled Ichigo to the side.

" Those boys, have you ever seen them before ? " Isshin asked as he realized they were all wearing the same uniform.

" No, I don't think so. I would definitely remember someone with red hair. " he said, noticing Ericel's hair and his own orange hair.

" Really, interesting. I hate to think of this possibility, but I think they might have been doing drugs. " Isshin said, making Ichigo frown as he knew it wasn't exactly out of the question in this day and age.

" I don't think so. " Karin said suddenly as the other two quickly turned around.

" Why do you say that ? " Ichigo asked, knowing Karin was mature enough to understand the situation. She pulled out both of the boys' backpacks and took out multiple papers.

" Look, their scores are almost as good as yours. " Karin said as she showed them the scores on the papers. Ichigo wasn't the smartest person on school, many people agree with that, but he was still ranked 23 out of 322.

" And the kid, Ericel … he likes to draw a lot of smiley faces … I don't think someone like that would be doing drugs. " Ichigo realized as he looked through the stuff, realized Ericel was a lot like one of his best friends Orihime Inoue. He looked over at the still awake Duc and realized someone like him wasn't likely to do drugs either.

" Then those two boys are a real mystery … " Isshin trailed off as he just shrugged his shoulders and sighed. Ichigo looked over at his dad with a quirked eyebrow as the usual goofy and weird persona was gone.

" Anyways … I wonder who they really are then. " Ichigo wondered as he stared at them. Suddenly, his Shinigami badge went off as he immediately grabbed it and chuckled sheepishly as his family stared at him.

" I have to meet Tatsuki … for something … " he said quickly before he ran out.

" Onii-chan ? " Yuzu called out in question as Karin just sighed.

**--**

" So, Anne-chan, are you in our school ? I haven't seen you around before. " Sakura asked cheerfully as Anne just shook her head.

" No, I think I'm transferring in later. " Anne made up as they left Maki Matsumoto's shop. They waited outside in the front for Daisuke to wake up.

" Really ? Then why are you wear- " Sakura was about to ask when Tomoyo gently touched her shoulder, shaking her head no. Anne just leaned back against the building, wondering what was happening. Suddenly, there was a bright flash before her eyes, followed by an explosion.

" What was that ? " Anne wondered.

" Umm … I'm gonna go check it out. " Sakura said in a strange tone as she ran after it.

" Sakura-chan ! " Tomoyo called out worriedly before Sakura glanced back at her, then gave her a nod towards Anne. Tomoyo understood as she turned towards the other girl.

" Come on, let's go inside. " Tomoyo coaxed as she saw Sakura run off towards the strange occurrence. Tomoyo hoped that Sakura would wear another costume she designed, but the safety of this new girl came first.

**--**

" What the- " both Kat and Ashant'e climbed the hill and watched the fire ahead. They gasped in surprise as they saw two teenage girls, each with a strange child accompanying them. One of them was a blonde child, who had wings and was flying with them. The other had long pink hair, whose eyes seemed ready for battle.

" What is this ? " Kat wondered as she saw the two teenagers pull out a book with strange writing on it, each glowing respectively.

" _Ganzu Biraitsu._ " A lifeless girl read as the angel child's hands grew bright. The girls gasped in surprise as many shots were fired off, right at the other two.

" _Seushiru !_ " the other girls called out quickly as the pink child's hand glowed, and in an instant a clear capsule shield had appeared before them, deflecting the attack !

" This battle … " Kat trailed off as she watched the two girls fight. They were caught in the middle of a battle …

**--**

**A chapter done ! If you haven't noticed, each pair of out story has traveled into an anime world ! So, Daisuke and Anne have going into Cardcaptor Sakura, Ashant'e and Kat have going into Konjiki no Gash Bell, or Zatch Bell, while Ericel and Duc have gone into Bleach ! Now, if you know about these shows already, it would be a big help since I don't really want to explain about each of them. So please read about them on your own time, and it'll help you understand ! Review and I'll update soon !**


	25. More in the World of Anime

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 25**

**Thanks you guys for reading and reviewing !**

As Ericel slowly opened his eyes, he quickly shut them off again when a blinding light hit him. He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, looking around at the unfamiliar clinic. He looked over and saw Duc was heavily asleep … and drooling. He felt something strange on his head, and as he felt up to reach it, he immediately yelped in pain as he touched the bandage wrapped around him.

" Oh, you're awake ? " he turned his head when he heard a pleasant voice. Ericel turned his head as a small girl walked out of the kitchen area. She untied her apron and fixed her hairpin before she turned back to him with a grin. He gave her a small bow before he tried to get up … and he fell.

" Oh, daijoubou ? " Yuzu asked in worry as she moved over to the seemingly mute boy. He glanced down at his leg and realized it was also wrapped in a bandage. As he tested it out, he grabbed onto the bed and lifted himself up. Suddenly, a loud noise came from his stomach and he blushed, making Yuzu laugh.

" Don't worry, dinner's almost ready. Can you wake him up ? " Yuzu asked as she pointed to Duc. When Ericel looked over, he had a sense of familiarity so he didn't think he would mind if he …

" Hey ! " Duc yelled as the pillow was chucked at him. He immediately shot up and glared at the grinning Ericel. Duc looked around in slight confusion before he remembered where he was. When he looked back towards Ericel, he pointed to the kitchen and showed Duc that he was scooping something with a spoon.

" Dinner ? " he asked as he looked outside and realized it was dark. Ericel nodded as they looked down at their dirtied uniforms and wondered if it was right to wear that to another family's table.

" Oh, you're awake. Come on, hurry up ! " Karin came out with her boyish attitude and waved them to the table.

" Dinner's ready ! " Yuzu called out as they heard a loud crash coming from upstairs.

" Huh ? I thought Ichigo nii-chan hadn't come back yet … " Yuzu trailed off as they all eyed the stairs. Suddenly, a lion plushy came shooting down the stairs and they all just stared at it as it remained facedown. When another sound was heard upstairs, they all looked at each other.

" Let me handle this. " Isshin said as he slowly walked up the stairs. They all followed as they came to the bedroom door …

" Ichi- " Isshin called out as he ran into a flying kick but he was stopped by his son's foot.

" Oya-jii ! I'm changing ! " Ichigo yelled as he pulled down his t-shirt, making everyone else sweat drop as Isshin floated to the floor.

" Oh, hey, you guys are awake. " Ichigo realized as the two boys waved.

**--**

" So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. " Sakura and Tomoyo waved goodbye as Anne waved back. As she turned back to the bed Maki had made for Daisuke, she wondered what was going on. Why couldn't she remember anything ? And why did she appear in front of the town with this boy. And Sakura was another mystery, how she had run off towards danger the moment it appeared.

" Come on dude, wake up. " Anne said, nudging Daisuke as he might be the only one who might be able to help her. She raised her head when Maki came in.

" Is he awake yet ? " she asked while Anne shook her head.

" No, not yet. "

" Oh, then why don't you join me for dinner ? " she asked pleasantly.

" Oh, Matsumoto-san, we've intruded enough. " Anne tried to decline but the elder woman just shook her head kindly.

" No, it's ok. It's nice to have company once in a while. " Maki smiled as Anne decided to just join her for dinner. After a time in the kitchen, they walked upstairs where there was a nice and quaint dining room.

" So, is that your husband ? " Anne asked as she saw a picture on the table.

" Yeah, it is. He died a while back. "

" Oh, I'm so sorry ! " Anne gasped as Maki just shook her head again.

" No, don't worry. He always dreamed of designing toys and selling them in a store, so here I am. But it didn't go that well at first when there was something that kept on happening to the toys, but when I moved here, it got better. Now that I think of it, ever since Sakura and her friends have come here, that when it all stopped. " Maki looked up in thought which made Anne smile.

" So, the girls, what are they like ? " Anne asked casually as she started eating.

" The girls are great. They come a lot and give me a lot of business ! And Tomoyo-chan gives me so many ideas for my stuffed animals ! And Sakura-chan just brings in more and more people ! She's so popular with everyone. " Maki said as Anne slowly nodded.

" Ah. And do a lot of strange things happen around here ? I saw the explosion earlier today. " Anne said.

" Now that I think of it, many strange things do happen a lot around here. And the girls do go running after it a lot … I wonder … "

**--**

" Wow. " Ashant'e and Kat said as they crouched down at the hill. It was strange what they had just witnessed. Two groups fighting before they burned the other's book and the child disappeared, but they had seemed sad the entire battle until one side finally won.

" Thanks for the help Kiyomaro-kun, Gash-kun. " the brown-haired girl said happily as she held the unconscious teenager up.

" Don't worry Megumi-san, I'm just happy we got another one that was under Zophise's control. " Kiyo said as he glanced down at the tired children. Suddenly, the boy and girl's ears perked up when they heard Ashant'e and Kat.

" Who's there !? " the blonde boy called out in his small voice as Kat and Ashant'e slowly stuck their head up.

" Hehehe, hi. " Ashant'e waved.

" Who are you ? " Kiyo asked in alarm as he held his book.

" Kiyomaro, they're good. " Gash said as his book keeper looked down at him.

" So, who are you girls ? " the older girl asked as she looked at them.

" … We're not sure. " Ashant'e answered as Kat was still wary.

" What do you mean ? " Kiyo asked.

" We woke up by the river. " Ashant'e said.

" And we lost our memories. " Kat said bitterly as she turned onto her back and just lay against the hill tiredly. Ashant'e watched with a quirked eyebrow as the group of four was in a heavy discussion.

" They could be under Zophise's control. " Kiyo said cautiously.

" Or they could be people who had just broken control of Zophise's control and they might be suffering temporary amnesia. " Megumi added.

" Or they could've hit their head really hard ! " Gash said.

" Or they could've just fell asleep out here and don't remember anything just yet. " Tio said. Suddenly, the pink-haired child gasped loudly as she looked at her flowered watch.

" Megumi, we're late for a photo shoot ! " she said worriedly as she turned to the other long haired girl.

" Oh, Kiyomaro-kun, I'm so sorry but I have to go ! Can you take care of her ? " Megumi asked as she threw off her large coat to reveal a beautiful sundress underneath.

" Yeah, I got it, you go ahead. You can't exactly stop being an idol can you. " Kiyo said before the two girls rushed off. Meanwhile, Gash had walked over slowly to the girls and sat down in front of Ashant'e.

" Boku wa Gash ! Gash Bell ! " he introduced himself to them happily as Ashant'e took his outstretched hand.

" Hi, I'm … sorry, I don't remember my name. " she said, making Gash frown sadly.

" I know what it feels like. When I first came here, I had forgotten all about myself too. But I'm happy now because I met Kiyomaro, Tio, and Megumi-dono ! " he said happily, all traces of the sadness before erased from his face.

" That's nice. " Ashant'e said as she looked over at the still-silent Kat who had her eyes closed. Suddenly, Gash turned around towards her and smiled widely too.

" Hi ! I'm Gash Bell ! " he greeted as she opened one eye and stared at him.

" Hey kid. " Kat patted his head before she went back to resting.

" Hey, don't you think our situation is a little serious ? " Ashant'e asked annoyed while Kat just ignored her.

" Hey, you guys ! Could you come help ? " Kiyo called out as he helped the waking girl up. After he explained to her what happened, she nodded as she went off.

" Where is she going ? " Ashant'e asked.

" Just, where she's supposed to go. So, you guys, I think we should head to my house. " Kiyo said as Ashant'e and Kat just shrugged and followed the boy genius.

**--**

" Hmmm … so these are their favorite anime is it ? " the lady chuckled as the little girl's ball became a sort of crystal ball which showed them how the three groups were going.

" Interesting isn't it ? " the young girl smiled as she stared at the six teenagers. The large man stood to the side quietly as the girl's ball started glowing.

" Hmmm, let's fast forward time a bit. I wonder how they'll be in a couple of week. " the girl said as she spun her ball in mid-air. As it stopped again, the groups were different from how they were from before. They concentrated more on the Bleach world as the two boys in there were the ones they were the most interested in …

**--**

" Ichigo ! " Ichigo's tomboyish friend called out as she appeared at the Kurosaki clinic. She was the only girl who he allowed in his house as they were friends since little but today she brought a guest.

" Kurosaki-kun ! Ohayou ! " Inoue Orihime called out, one of Ichigo's best friends. Ericel lifted his head at the sound at the doorway and walked towards the front, untying his apron.

" Oh, Hiiragizawa-kun ! Ohayou ! " Orihime bowed politely, letting her long red hair sweep down as Ericel smiled and bowed too. He grinned and waved at Tatsuki who waved back.

" Uso Ericel ! Ittekimasu ! " Ichigo called out as he ran out the door to the other girls. When he heard a whistle, he turned back just in time to catch a bundle of rolled up money for his lunch.

" Arigatou ne Ericel ! " Ichigo waved his thanks as they departed for school. Then, the daily routine started once again as everyone got ready to leave.

" Ittekimasu ! " both Karin and Yuzu called out as they got ready for school, Karin with her soccer ball and Yuzu putting a hairpin up.

" Arigatou Hiiragizawa nii-chan ! " Yuzu thanked as he gave both of them their lunches. Yuzu was always used to being the motherly figure of the family but with Ericel there it did help a bit.

" Sayounara. " Duc departed as Ericel gave him his bag and he walked his lazy pace.

" Aaagghhh ! Masaki-chan ! Our children are leaving again, even Duc ! " Isshin said emotionally as he hugged a giant memorial poster of his late wife, making Ericel sweat drop. As people still recognized Ericel and Duc at school yet they still were unsure of who they were, they all decided Ericel shouldn't go to school yet with his muteness, which was temporary according to Tatsuki, who seemed to be the only one remembering them in their group.

" Isshin-san ! Our boy has a small cold ! Can you give us some medicine ! " a local family called out as they entered the clinic area. Isshin quickly composed himself in a flash, making Ericel sweat drop again as he went to get some medicine. Suddenly, a thump was heard from upstairs in Ichigo's room again, which always made Ericel wonder.

He slowly took quiet steps up the stairs as he reached Ichigo's bedroom door. As he leaned his ear against it, he heard the familiar voice again. It was strange, but he was used to seeing people just pop up into Ichigo's room, usually wearing old samurai clothes …

" Nee-chan ! " Ericel's eyes widened as he saw the yellow plushie jump into a familiar girl's arms, though she quickly pushed it away.

" Kon, stay here ! I have to get to sc- " Rukia froze as she saw Ericel at the door. She quickly looked from him to the fallen plushy then back to him, laughing nervously.

" I-uh, I can explain … Hehehe … " Rukia started to get more and more nervous as Ericel just smiled and handed her a paper bag. She slowly took it and opened it, looking inside to see a lunch packed for her. Ericel just nodded and left the room as he smirked triumphantly.

" _I knew Ichigo had another girl in his room ! … hmm, I wonder if that's where all of Yuzu's clothes are going … _" he thought to himself as he descended the steps. Rukia on the other hand narrowed her eyes at the retreating figure. She wasn't even a vice-captain yet but she was still a Shinigami, yet she couldn't hear a normal boy coming up the stairs ? … Or was he normal ?

**--**

" Thanks for shopping at Twin Bells ! " Daisuke and Anne called out cheerfully in their preteen bodies as they turned back to their current caretaker.

" I see Sakura-chan and Tomoyo-chan. " Anne said as she took off her apron.

" Ittekimasu ! " Daisuke called out to Maki as she turned towards them.

" Itterasshai ! " Maki called out to them as they swung on their backpacks and went out to the front. They greeted their friends as they slowly progressed to school.

" Ohayou Syaoran-kun ! " Sakura called out to her friend as he gave a small wave.

" Ohayou. " he said simply as he fell into their group, nodding to Anne and Daisuke in greeting.

" So, what's it like to live with Maki-san so far ? " Tomoyo asked as the others just grinned.

" It's been great ! " Daisuke smiled widely.

" Yeah, she's been wonderful. I'm so glad that she's letting us stay here until we get our memories back ! " Anne said cheerfully, wondering when _will_ she get her memories back ?

" That's great ! " Sakura smiled. When they arrived at school, they all gasped in surprise as they were met with a rather feisty girl with two buns on her head …

" SYAORAN ! "

**--**

" So, we'll be off to our excavation. " Kiyo waved goodbye as did Ashant'e, Gash, and Umagon … this strange horse thing. Kat just politely nodded to Kiyo's mother as they departed. So far from what they've learned, there was this big major battle going on to be ruler of this Mamodo World and they've been living with the Takamine family since to try and regain their memories.

" So, we're meeting Megumi at the airport. " Kiyo said as they boarded the Taxi. The girls nodded, waiting anxiously for them to get to a certain ruin to see if they can remember anything. Kiyo wasn't sure at first, but whenever the girls were near a big battle between Gash and the Thousand-year Mamodo, they seemed to remember something, even if it was just an instinct.

" I hope we won't be a bother. " Ashant'e said worriedly as she saw how dangerous the battles were.

" Well, you guys do have to get your memory back right ? " he said as Kat just nodded from the front seat.

" So, it's just as important to you as it is to us. " he said, Gash quickly nodding.

" So then, to our memories. " Ashant'e said wistfully.

**--**

**So, another chapter done ! If ya got some problem with the Bleach or Zatch Bell world, I guess you could look them up right ? You can try at enDOTwikipediaDOTorg eh ? Anyways, please review and I'll update soon !**


	26. The Memories Begotten

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 26**

**Thank you to all my reviewers and readers that keep this story going !**

" Hmmm … this is boring. " the girl said in a whiny tone as she suddenly perked up. She spun her ball one last time as it stopped.

" I wonder how they will do without their powers in a battle. " the girl smiled at the two adults on her side. They just nodded their heads and she turned back to the ball, watching each of them …

**--**

Ericel sighed tiredly as he walked down the street. The Kurosaki family was kind and generous indeed, but he started to feel like he was being smothered as they worried about him too much. He was a sixteen year-old for Christ's sake ! And even Duc, everyday he started treating Ericel more and more like a little brother and he just wanted to take a walk and clear his mind, which he was doing right now.

" Tatsukete ! " Ericel's ears perked up when he heard a small girl's voice as she called out for help ! He turned and down the street came a small girl who was being chased by a dog ! The girl had her brown hair tied into two ponytails, held together by red beads and was wearing denim shorts and a striped tank top. She seemed strangely familiar but the dog was the problem now.

" Grrr ! " the dog growled as it almost caught up to her, but was caught in the nose by a sharp stone. It yelped before it ran off, as the girl slowed down and turned towards Ericel. She just bowed politely before passing by him, and then he noticed. She had a chain sticking out of her chest … and she was very clear … like she could be seen through …

" … Ummm … " Ericel managed to strangle out before the eight or ten year-old girl turned back to him. She looked at him questioningly before her eyes widened in realization.

" Can you see me ? " she asked with hope in her voice as Ericel just slowly nodded.

**--**

Anne and Daisuke bid goodbye to the others as they started walking towards Twin Bells. Suddenly, Anne had a strange feeling as she turned towards Penguin Park.

" Anne ? " Daisuke called out as he watched her run off. She gasped in surprise as she stopped near the edge and watched as Syaoran's cousin Meiling stood in front of Sakura defensively … as the plastic penguins from the park started floating around …

" Key that hides the power of the stars, show your true form before me.  
I, Sakura, command you under our contract ... Release! " Sakura called out as a staff with a star at the tip appeared in her hand.

" Is that what you meant by strange occurrences ? " the young girl asked as she looked towards Sakura who nodded. The group separated down the middle as the penguins attacked ! Syaoran and Tomoyo ran left but then Tomoyo suddenly tripped.

" Tomoyo ! " Anne yelled as the children's' heads shot up.

" Anne-chan ! " Sakura yelled out in surprise as Anne dove forward and helped Tomoyo up.

" Emperor of Thunder, Answer my call ! " Syaoran shouted out as he held an orb in front of him, a sword appearing in its place. Anne watched with wide eyes as he held up a talisman and pressed it against the blade, lightning shooting out ! As Anne moved Tomoyo to safety, Syaoran stood in front of them.

" Thunder, hear my call ! " Syaoran called out as he struck out another bolt but the … floating penguins … dodged it and turned towards the other girls ! Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as she held her staff in her hands.

" Ha ! " Meiling called out as she struck out and cracked the penguin's head, making it stop. Sakura's eyes widened as she remembered how skilled Meiling was.

" Hi-ya ! " Meiling called out as she quickly sent penguin after penguin flying away … towards Syaoran … who had to jump to avoid them …

" Anne-chan, what is it ? " Tomoyo asked as she saw Anne staring at Meiling in concentration.

" Uhh … it's nothing. It's just that I think I saw her fighting style before … " Anne trailed off as she saw Meiling land punch after punch, kick after kick and completely protecting Sakura.

" Oww. " Meiling whimpered as she held her hands close to her. She went chibi and started tearing up as Sakura came over worriedly.

" Daijoubou Meiling-chan ? " Sakura asked worriedly as her friend just shook her head.

" No, but thanks. " Meiling thanked as all of them froze as a large rumble tore through the ground. They all looked towards the King Penguin Slide … and watched in horror as it started to slowly break its way from the ground !

" I can't fight that ! " Meiling yelled in horror.

**--**

" Are we almost there ? " Ashant'e wondered as they walked through the forest. Ever since they got off the boat, they have been wandering the Amazonic forest and they finally stopped at an open spot.

" Let's rest for a bit. " Tio suggested as the others agreed. The group of teenagers and children sat down as they rested in the open air and just laid back for a rest. Suddenly though, they felt a tremor as they all sat up.

" What was that ? " Ashant'e wondered as the ground below them suddenly broke ! They quickly moved off the crack and went off to safety as a Mamodo child came out.

" _Ganzu Garon !_ " the man called out as his book shined brightly, a giant spike coming out of nowhere and heading right towards Ashant'e and Kat !

" _Ma Seshirudo !_ " Megumi called out as Tio appeared in front of them, a golden shield coming in front of them. As a large jewel surrounded by feathers appeared in the center and a wave of pink energy came out to surround the shield, Kat gasped.

" That shield … " Kat gasped before another spell was heard … and it wasn't Kiyo …

**--**

" What are we supposed to do ? Windy is too weak, I can't use Wood … what am I supposed to do ? " Sakura worried as she looked at the other children. Suddenly, Meiling's eyes widened.

" That one ! Use that card, the one you caught at the skating rink ! " Meiling called out as Sakura burst into a smile !

" Freeze ! " she realized as she held out the Clow Card.

" The Card created by Clow, abandon your old form and reincarnate! Under the name of your new master, Sakura ... Freeze ! " she yelled out as she spun her staff around skillfully. As she threw the brown and red card up, she raised her staff and it burst with magic, quickly changing the card into a bright pink.

" FREEZE ! " she screamed out as a giant goldfish-like creature burst out, completely composed of ice and wrap itself around the penguins, quickly freezing them and stopping them. They all sighed in relief when they thought it was over, but they started to move again !

" Anne … " Daisuke barely managed to called out before a penguin struck him in the chest at a fast rate, toppling him over and knocking him unconscious.

" DAVIS ! " she screamed, as her eyes suddenly opened in realization. She remembered … she remembered everything perfectly …

" Davis ! " Anne screamed once again as the world around her started fading away and she was blinded by a bright light …

**--**

As they managed to barely dodge a series of ravenous roses, Kat composed herself and thought of the shield that Megumi used. Why was it so familiar to her ?

" _Oru Rozuruga !_ " Kat and Ashant'e gasped in horror as a giant rose was sent out at them by a green-haired Mamodo.

" _Zakeruga !_ " Kiyo and Gash appeared as a powerful beam of lightning shot out of Gash's mouth and destroyed the rose immediately.

" Are you guys ok ? " Kiyo asked as they nodded. Then he looked over at Megumi who simply nodded at them, both of them thinking the same thing.

" _Razaruk !_ " Kiyo read out from the spell book as the sunny sky was suddenly clouded over. As thunder roared, a shot if rainbow lighting descended from above and struck Gash ! When the light cleared, they watched as Gash was wrapped in the powerful aura. In a flash, he was darting all over the place, confusing the enemy Mamodo and unknowingly cornering them.

" Now Megumi-san ! " Kiyo yelled as Megumi flipped open her spell book to a certain spell.

" _Gigala Seushiru !_ " Megumi called as another barrier was formed, around the enemy !

" _Gigano Giranzu !_ "

" _Bazu Agurozes !_ " the enemy Mamodo bookkeepers called out as the strong attacks appeared. Kat looked over at Megumi just to see her smirk at the green shield she created. As the enemy collided with it, their attacks just reflected back at them ! The girls watched in wonder as they witnessed one of Megumi's strongest spells.

" Hehe Hehe Ahahahahahaha ! " the group suddenly turned their head upward as they spotted a horribly ugly purple Mamodo floating above them, giving off an extremely powerful aura.

" Zophise ! " Kiyo yelled angrily as the Mamodo just smirked.

" Ooh, you're here. But who are these two ? They don't belong here. " Zophise said in wonder as he held out his hand.

" _Radom !_ " a voice echoed out as a fireball burst out directly towards Ashant'e and Kat ! Suddenly, Kat's mind flashed as she raised her hands.

" _Houka !_ " she called out instinctively as the flame soared upwards. When a flash ran through their head, it suddenly got very bright and the world around them faded.

" I remember … " they both chorused before they went unconscious …

**--**

" Damn, where is he ? " he said tiredly as he held a glass bottle filled with water, going on his daily trip. Then, he stopped stone cold as he glanced across the street, and there Ericel was, sitting with a ghost.

" Hahahaha. " Ericel laughed gently as the girl enthusiastically told him tales of what happened that day.

" Yeah, the brown dog was a pesky one ! No matter what I told him, he still peed on the pole ! " she pouted, making Ericel laugh again. When he heard a noise to the side, Ericel lifted his head when he saw that it was Ichigo out of breath.

" Ah ! Nii-chan ! " the ghost child yelled happily as she hugged Ichigo, making him turn down and grin.

" Hey, look what I brought. " Ichigo pulled out a bunch of pure white flower from behind him, making her eyes go wide.

" Kirei. " she said quietly as Ichigo gently put the flowers into the bottle and laid it behind the pole.

" There. " he smiled, as she girl started sniffling.

" What's wrong ? " Ichigo asked in worry as Ericel gently patted her on the head, making Ichigo looked shocked.

" Can you come again tomorrow ? " she sniffled as Ichigo gently smiled.

" Yeah, of course. " Ichigo said as Ericel looked over at the kind side of Ichigo he hasn't seen yet.

" Sayounara ! " the girl waved to them happily as they walked down the street.

" Oy, Ericel, do you know what she was ? " Ichigo asked carefully as Ericel just slowly nodded.

" And you weren't afraid ? " he asked in surprise, to which Ericel just gently shook his head.

" Really. Wow, and you could touch her too ? " he asked, making Ericel wonder what the big deal was. Before Ichigo could ask another question, Inoue appeared.

" Konnichiwa Kurosaki-kun, Hiiragizawa-kun ! " she waved happily as her long hair floated out behind her. They waved at her before they both gasped in horror. A tear was being ripped … through the air !

" A Menos grande ? " Ichigo barely whispered out before he turned its head in their direction in a split-second, flashing right next to Ericel a moment later. He was barely able to breathe in when he saw the evil spirit reach out with its tentacle and wrap around his neck, wings sprouting out.

" Hiiragizawa-kun ! " Inoue called you in horror as the hollow was about to take flight, but she grabbed onto it !

" Inoue ! " Ichigo called out as she flew with them up to the sky.

" _Tsubaki !_ " Inoue quickly called out, Ericel's eyes widening in surprise as the snowflake hairpins on her head were starting to glow.

" _Koten Zanshun,_ " she started to call out as more tentacles started to appear, threatening her though she ignored it as she concentrated on getting her friend to safety. Two pins flew out suddenly in a golden beam of light as she finished the incantation.

" _Watashi wa kyozetsu suru ! _" she screamed out as an orb of light passed through the tentacle constricting Ericel, quickly destroying it as both she and Ericel dropped to the ground from the sky !

" _Hinagiku, Baigon, Lily ! Santen Kesshun !_ _Watashi wa kyozetsu suru ! _" she yelled out as three lights shot from her hairpin, quickly creating a triangular shield under the two teenagers as it cushioned their blow when the landed onto the ground safely. Meawhile, Ichigo pressed his badge to his chest and he quickly came out to his Shinigami form, leaving his body behind for Inoue to protect.

" Stay behind me. " she said as she raised her hands, preparing to create another shield if needed. As Ichigo went hacking away at the monster, Ericel looked the other direction and gasped.

" Where is he- what the heck is that !? " Duc yelled in surprise as he saw the scene in front of him.

" Duc ? " Ichigo got distracted as the Menos grande swat at him and hit him away as it headed straight for Duc ! He stood there paralyzed as it moved closer and closer to him …

" … DUC ! " Ericel screamed as he reacted and quickly moved to the side. Suddenly, Ericel raised his hands exactly like Inoue had before as the hollow was about to strike Duc.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " he called out as the shield came up to his friend. Strange that someone he just met could do this to him, but they had really grown closer these past weeks and they were almost brother … his memory came back ! But he gasped in horror as the monster split in two and went around the other direction, piercing Duc's body …

" NO ! " the three teenagers gasped in horror as Duc slowly fell and Ericel went after him, running into a bright light …

**--**

" Where are we ? " they all wondered at the same time as they woke up in the brightly lit room that trapped them in the first place ! Anne, Ericel, Ashant'e, and Kat looked at each other before their eyes landed on the girl and her minions … plus the unmoving bodies of Daisuke and Duc.

" NNNOOOO !!! " Annd and Ericel screamed in horror as they saw their heavily injured friends, as if coming back did even more damage to them. They both started to glow a strange aura as Ashant'e and Kat quickly stood up.

" Eric, no ! " Ashant'e barely got out before Ericel raised a hand towards her.

" _Seishierudo. _" he called out as a clear capsule shield formed around the two girls and the unconscious boys, trapping them inside.

" When did he learn that spell ? " Kat wondered as she banged against the shield. Suddenly, the small girl had a frightened look on her face as she looked at the two teenagers, who were getting more and more angry.

" Eric, no ! Anne, you guys can't use your powers out of rage ! " Ashant'e yelled to them in an alarmed voice as they ignored her.

" No, this can't be happening. " Ashant'e said as she collapsed against the wall.

" Their powers, they're increasing rapidly … I can feel them. " Kat said as she watched on.

" _Sekijun Hou ! _" Anne yelled out as a giant cannon erupted from the ground, firing an explosion of deadly stalagmites which the girl was barely able to defend as a shield emerged from her ball.

" With this, more and more spells will keep on coming, and we don't know how powerful they'll be. They've tapped into an unknown power … and at this rate, they could very well be strong enough to destroy the world … "

**--**

**Well, wasn't that exciting ? Anyways, after this, one more world to go ! … well, you'll see ! Please review, and I'll write what happens next very soon ! Ciao ya'll !**


	27. Truth or Dare !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher **

**Chapter 27**

**Thanks for reviewing !**

" I was hoping not to use this, but forgive me you guys. " Ashant'e suddenly said as she clasped her hands together.

" What are- " Kat was about to ask when her eyes widened when she looked over at Ashant'e. Their was a purple energy glowing around her and her spirit energy had just grown a tremendous amount, impressing Kat.

" _Kihaku Shoji ! _" Ashant'e yelled out as she thrust her palms out, a bright energy shot out of her palms right through the shield, hitting Ericel and Anne on their back. Kat watched in surprise as the two teenagers started moving stiffly … and then just stopped ! When she looked back at Ashant'e, she saw she was heaving tiredly on the ground, barely able to hold herself up.

" Go. " Ashant'e said in a weak voice as Kat nodded and quickly ran forward.

"_ Jaen !_ " Kat yelled out her powerful spell as it hit squarely on the shield created by the ball, reflecting off it. When she saw the little girl smirk, she herself smirked.

" You don't think I'm that weak do you ? _Dai-Jaen !_ " she screamed out, the spiraling flame attack surrounded them around the barrier, and despite the shield the girl created, they couldn't escape the flaming heat.

" _DAI-JAEN_ " she yelled out, a flaming blast concentrated on one point as it dented the barrier, making the girl start sweating tiredly.

" We have to send them to another world. " the woman said as Ashant'e looked up.

" Kat ! You can't let them do it again ! " Ashant'e shouted in worry as Kat concentrated on her attack.

" _Dai-Jaen !_ " she yelled out again as the flame shot out and made a crack in the shield. When she looked over at Anne and Ericel, she saw them slowly shaking their heads as if they had just woken up. Their eyes snapped to attention quickly as they realized where they were.

" Davis ! " Anne called worriedly as she ran to her friend.

" Kat, what's happening !? " Ericel asked as he ran to her.

" Not now, help me destroy this barrier ! " she shouted as he quickly nodded and forgot about the questions for a moment.

" Duran ! Load Chrome Cartridge ! Fire ! " he shouted out quickly as his Child quickly responded to his commands and fired off his cannons, breaking the barrier immediately !

" Aaaggghhh ! " the enemy yelled as they flew back.

" Fine, you've won this time. " the girls said as she faded away with her group. As they slowly let their guard down, the woman appeared again !

" _Gomuzaku !_ " the woman called, sending out small pins of light that had barely the power of her needles, but it would erase their memories of the time they spent in the other worlds. As they blacked out, Ericel glanced at the unconscious Duc and realized that he was just knocked out and not seriously hurt. He looked over at Daisuke and saw the same, and he grinned as he fell down …

**--**

" Aaaaggghh ! " Anne and Daisuke yelled as they woke up on the patio. As they looked around in confusion, they slowly remembered what happened when they first got out there.

" … Did we fall asleep ? " Daisuke asked as Anne just shook her head. As they slowly got up, they jumped a bit and realized that they couldn't have slept for long as they weren't that stiff. They just stared at each other strangely as they walked through the door leading inside.

" What were we even doing out there ? " Anne asked as they suddenly came to a stop.

" We were just wondering the same thing. " they two yelped as there saw Tina and Gilbert in the middle of the table where there was only a small lamp.

" Davis, you dog ! " Gilbert said proudly, making Daisuke glad that it was too dark for them to see him blush. Anne just stared at them as Tina smiled.

" We couldn't sleep. " she explained as Anne made an o with her mouth and nodded.

" So, how 'bout we do something to pass the time ? " Gilbert asked slyly.

" … Like what ? " Daisuke asked cautiously.

" Truth or Dare. "

**--**

" Ow ! " Ericel and Duc yelped as they fell off the bench. They quickly shot up and looked around in confusion as they surveyed the peaceful yard. Ericel looked down and saw that his drawing book had dried up … so had they fallen asleep ? As a wind blew through the area, it ruffled the sakura tree above them and a petal flew down and landed on Duc's head. As Ericel reached out to take it off his head, he stopped in mid-motion and quirked his eyebrow.

" Hehe … heh … " they laughed awkwardly as they got up and walked back into the building. As they walked into the center room, they suddenly heard a loud thump from the girls' room.

**--**

" What happened ? " Kat wondered as she woke up and looked down. She was still in her chair and she looked over at Ashant'e who had fallen out of her chair. Misato was still fast asleep in her bed while Ashant'e rubbed her head in pain.

" Huh ? What happened !? " she asked in alarm as she looked around. Kat was deep in thought though. She felt something was off … but she didn't know what. She turned her head to the door as Ericel and Duc stuck their head in.

" Hey, everything ok ? " Ericel asked in worry as then Misato finally woke up.

" BOYS ! GET OUT OF HERE ! " she yelled, only half awake as she lashed out.

" Jeez, she didn't have to hit us so hard. " Ericel whined as he and Duc felt their heads. Suddenly, Ashant'e came out and quickly closed the door behind her.

" Come on, let's do something ! " Ashant'e said as the other two just stared at her.

" Are you ok ? " Ericel asked slowly.

" Yeah, but come on ! I suddenly don't feel tired at all ! " she said, and the others had to agree. Probably the little_ nap_ they took had made them fully awake !

" Fine … and I know where … what about Kat ? " he asked, as Ashant'e gasped. She rushed back into the room and dragged Kat out.

" NO ! LET ME GO ! " she shouted loudly, good thing the residents were all heavily asleep.

" Here's the map, you can teleport there right ? " Ericel asked quickly as she nodded.

" Yeah, I can. " suddenly, they stopped and looked over at Duc.

" … Whoa, what is that ! " Ericel yelled as he pointed to the side and looked. Suddenly, Ericel pinched the back of his neck and he went unconscious.

" _Shikuchi !_ "

**--**

" So, who goes first ? " Gilbert smirked as they sat around the table.

" Do we have to ? " Daisuke said in a whiny tone.

" Yes. " he answered immediately, making the girls sweat drop.

" Come on, let's have some fun ! " Anne said encouragingly.

" Fine, Tina will go first. " Daisuke grinned, making Tina gape.

" Oh, fine ! " she pouted.

" Truth or dare ? " Gilbert smiled.

" Hello ! " they heard familiar voices shout out.

" Hey ! " Ericel greeted as he jumped in.

" Hey, what are you guys doing here ? " Daisuke asked happily, thinking the game was over … but it wasn't …

" Hey, we're here too ! " Ashant'e yelled as she dragged in Kat and Duc, who was still looking around in question. They had just said that he had fallen asleep and they just … _found_ a way there.

" Yay, the more the merrier ! " Gilbert shouted happily. Daisuke just sighed as Anne wondered how in the world they got there.

" Sorry for dropping in, we were just really bored. " Duc said as they looked at him and Kat.

" Uhhh … this is Duc and Kat. " Ericel introduced as the others greeted them.

" What are we doing ? " Ashant'e asked as they saw sat around the table.

" Truth or dare. " Gilbert grinned.

" Yeah, why don't you guys join us ? " Anne suggested.

" Sure ! " they all nodded happily … except for Kat.

" Come on Tina, truth or dare ? " Gilbert asked.

" Uhh … truth ? " Tina said sheepishly.

" So … how far how you've ever gotten with a guy ? " he smiled, making Anne laugh.

" Uhhh, it was in kindergarten and I held a boy's hands. "

" Dang Tina ! " Ericel grinned.

" Fine, Davis ! Truth or dare ? " she yelled as she looked at him.

" Hmm … truth. " he finally said.

" Awww man ! " Ericel and Anne whined.

" Ok … so, how much do you like your current crush ? " she asked grinning, looking at Anne from the corner of her eye.

" Uuhh … a lot ? " he said, making Anne blush.

" How much is a lot ? " Tina asked slyly.

" Come on, he already answered the question. " Anne said, trying to save him and _her_ from humiliation.

" Fine, Kat, truth or dare ? " Daisuke asked cautiously. If he asked any of the others, he was sure they were going to pick dare and he didn't really want to come up with one … well, one that Anne will think isn't disgusting.

" Truth. " she answered.

" Can't … stay awake … too … boring ! " Ericel and Duc said dramatically as they slumped against the table.

" Uh, ok. So, who do you think is the cutest guy here ? " he asked, slightly leaning back in fright as he saw her eyes flash over them.

" No one. " she said, making the group sweat drop.

" Wow … cryptic. " Gilbert commented.

" Ashant'e … truth or dare. " she asked plainly.

" DARE ! " she shouted happily.

" Woohoo ! Go Ashant'e ! " Ericel shouted as Duc made whooping noises.

" Fine … go over there and flirt with Davis for 30 seconds. " she smirked, making Ericel and Duc grin widely.

" Go Kat ! " Gilbert cheered.

" I knew you had it in you ! " Ericel said happily while Kat just shook her head.

" I think I've been hanging out with David too much. " she said, still smiling while Ashant'e and Davis stared at each other.

" I think I'd rather be gagged. " Ashant'e said.

" Come on, just do it ! " Tina said, smiling as she saw Anne put her hand into a fist. Everyone was laughing hysterically as Ashant'e started, even Anne while Kat just had to crack a smile.

" That was the _longest_ 30 seconds in my life. " Ashant'e said in horror as she resumed to her seat back at Ericel's side, who had quickly stashed something shiny to Duc.

" Ya know, I kinda feel sorry for Davis. " he teased as Ashant'e hit him on the shoulder.

" Hey, it could've been worse. " he said.

" How so ? "

" He could've made you hit on another girl ! " he laughed.

" Eew ! " the girls chorused.

" Wow … good idea ! " Gilbert leaned over and patted him on the back.

" Fine, Eric. Truth or dare ? " she said, turning to him.

" Dare. " he answered confidently.

" Fine, do the Elvis dance. " she smirked as he gaped.

" Hey ! " he yelled.

" What, me and Anne talk you know. " she grinned, making Ericel turn to Anne and glare at her.

" All right, all right. I'll get you soon Anne. " he said as he slowly stood up. As Ashant'e suddenly pulled out a CD player out of nowhere and a tune started playing, Ericel started to shake his hips as they all stared in amazement.

" So that's what you do when you guys are alone … very interesting. " Daisuke grinned as Ericel just sneered at him.

" Fine, Anne ! Truth or dare ? " Ericel asked as he turned towards her.

" I'll take whatever you throw at me. Dare. " she said confidently as Ericel grinned.

" Tina, come here a sec. " he grinned as Tina shimmied over to him. He whispered into her ear and she nodded.

" Uhh … yeah, why ? " she asked as Ericel sat back up.

" Anne, I dare you to model for us. And you'll be modeling whatever Tina has that's pink and poofy with lots of ribbon, bow, and lace. " he smirked as she gaped.

" What ? Tina doesn't have anything like that … does she ? " Anne asked worriedly as Tina jumped and up pushed Anne into their room. Moments later, laughter erupted as Anne later emerged in a pink dress with flowers and bows and everything feminine.

" Oh … my … god ! " Ashant'e was barely able to utter out as she laughed so hard as she saw Anne's hair put into two pigtails with pink ribbon.

" Ok, modeling done now, I'm changing back. "

" Not yet ! " Ericel yelled as Duc gave him the hidden camera and he flashed away.

" Maybe we should have them blown up. " Ashant'e laughed.

" And hang them around school ! " Daisuke yelled happily.

" Don't tempt me man ! "

" Ok, I'm done ! " Anne yelled as a moment later she emerged fully dressed.

" 'K, Gilbert, truth or dare ! " she shouted.

" Dare ! "

" I dare you to skip your turn. " she smirked.

" Awww ! " he pouted.

" So we all went right ? " Ericel asked as they looked around.

" What about Duc ? " Kat smirked as she saw him glare at her.

" Fine, fine. "

" I wanna do it ! Duc, truth or dare ! " Gilbert yelled.

" Well, my dare died. " Anne said.

" Dare. " he said confidently.

" Fine, I dare you to pick the next game. " they both smirked as the made eye contact. Ericel looked between them nervously as he realized they thought alike … too much alike … and if he knew Gilbert …

" Spin. The. Bottle. "

**--**

**HAHA ! How 'bout that ? Hope you review or you'll never find out what happens in SPIN THE BOTTLE ! … please review ! Ciao for now !**


	28. Spin The Bottle !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 28**

**Thanks for reviewing SakuraxKurama, KaiAN-Chan, Sapph1reDrag0n, and Azure Kaze ! You guys are great !**

" Spin. The. Bottle. " Duc repeated as Gilbert smirked and they gave a high-five to each other.

" Why do I have a feeling they're gonna get along really well. " Ashant'e whispered into Ericel's ear who just nodded.

" Are you sure we should play this ? " Tina asked.

" Come on, it's just a game. " Gilbert said.

" But uhh … we don't have a bottle ! " Anne pointed out.

" We down now. " Ashant'e smiled as she pulled out an empty sake bottle.

" Where do you keep on getting all of these things ? " Ericel asked while Ashant'e just responded with a grin. As Gilbert took it happily, they all sat back down around the table nervously.

" Ok … have any of you guys had your first kiss yet ? " Gilbert asked as they all stared at him.

" Nope. " they chorused, except for Kat who remained silent and just shook her head.

" Oh, yeah. You guys are freshmen … you guys don't mind if you lose your kiss virginity to anyone here right ? " he asked. Gilbert _was_ the oldest so he was responsible for the younger ones. They looked around at each other nervously as they made eye contact with everyone.

" I don't think we do ? … Right guys ? " Ericel asked. They all were slightly unsure, but they really didn't mind.

" Ok then. Now, we set the rules. Let's see … for different genders, 10 seconds and for same 5 seconds ? People ? " he said to them as they quickly thought up more acceptable rules that didn't make them blush as much.

" Ummm … " they looked at each other.

" Yeah, and all have to be on the lips. " Duc said grinning.

" And picture taking is allowed. " Ericel grinned.

" Hey, that's no fair, you're the only one with the camera ! " Anne pointed.

" So ? " he smirked as the she just rolled her eyes.

" Fine. " she said grumpily. Gilbert smiled as he saw that they had loosened up and didn't seem to mind that they were just about to kiss their best friends.

" Then here we go. Who's up ? " Gilbert asked as he held up the bottle. As nobody raised their hand, he handed it to the person closest to him … Tina !

" Why am I first for everything !? " she pouted, making them laugh.

" Fine, here I go. " she said as she laid the bottle on the table. As she spun it, it went round and round as it finally landed on … Ericel !

" Oh, ok. I can deal with Eric. " she said calmly as the other boys just stared at her.

" Thanks. " they said as Tina sweat dropped. Since they were just next to each other, the cleared their throats and shook their head … at the same time …

" Oh yeah, Tina _did_ spend a lot of time with Eric before right ? " Daisuke and Anne remembered. As they shook their heads one last time, they just leaned in and kissed for the ten seconds. Not a millisecond later, they pulled apart and gasped for air, making choking noises.

" Dear god ! That was the _longest_ ten seconds of my life ! " they yelled at the same time as they gripped Duc/Anne. Daisuke and Ashant'e meanwhile were sweat dropping at how identical Ericel and Tina were. Gilbert smirked though as he saw Duc quickly hide the camera.

" Ok ! Next ! " Gilbert continued as he held up the bottle. As Ericel and Tina were both gasping away for air and Duc and Anne were unavailable, Ashant'e just sighed and took the bottle.

" Here goes nothing. " she sighed as she spun it and it went round and round before it landed on … Ericel … again !

" Oh, shit ! " they cursed as they looked up at each other and glared.

" Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh no ! This can't be, I'm having a nightmare ! " she yelled.

" Funny, we're having the same nightmare. " Ericel said unenthusiastically.

" This really sucks. " the both said.

" Come on you two, pucker up ! " Anne yelled happily. As Ericel neared her, he immediately pulled away.

" Come on, I can't get two inches close to her without gagging. " Ericel yelled as Ashant'e agreed.

" Come on already ! " Gilbert yelled, making them sigh. They just looked at each other quickly leaned in to kiss each other for the ten seconds.

" Dear god ! " Ashant'e yelled in horror as they pulled apart.

" That was even worse than kissing Tina ! " Ericel yelled.

" Hey ! " Tina yelled angrily.

" I'll be next ! " Anne yelled, making everyone else finally quiet down. As she laid it on the table, Tina and Ericel eyed her and Daisuke out of the corner of their eyes as it started spinning. It seemed to go on forever as it went round, and round, and round. As it started slowing down, it stopped at Ericel ! … But then it continued onto … Daisuke !

" Woohoo ! " Ericel yelled, but then quickly covered his mouth. The two friends slowly eyed each other as they gulped nervously. Anne quickly looked away and thought of things to get rid of the blush.

_' A freezer, flowers … pink things … '_

" Come on, let's just do it. " he said as she nodded slowly. As they neared each other, their lips touched. A spark ran through them and their eyes widened as the ten seconds just seemed to go up and they pulled away when a flash made them come back to reality. They quickly moved back to their previous spots and looked away from each other.

" Interesting. " Ericel grinned as he hid the camera. Anne gently touched her lips and wondered what just happened as she looked over at Daisuke who had immediately turned away from staring at her.

" I see … Kat ? " he suggested in quiet fright as he saw the others were still … suffering … from the previous kisses.

_' Maybe this wasn't such a good idea … ' _he smiled sheepishly as Kat quietly took the bottle. She gently laid it on the table and gave it a furious spin. As it neared Ericel, he tensed up worriedly as he backed up against Duc. But, it went past him and landed on … Gilbert !

" Oh, thank god. " Ericel said in relief as he pulled out the camera and aimed. But then he saw Kat flash him a deadly glare and he quickly put it away in fright.

" Wow, you're gonna get the kiss of your life girl. " Gilbert said cheekily while Kat just sighed.

" Let's just do this. " she said as she leaned in and it went over rather quick and they just pulled apart.

" Well, that was uneventful. " Ericel said as he looked down at his camera. Next, Gilbert handed it to the dude that started all of it.

" Here I go. " he said as the bottle went round and round … before it landed on … Ericel ! The two teenage boys stared at the bottle for a long while before they finally looked up.

" Crap. " they said at the same time. As they looked around, a roar erupted from the girls, mainly Ashant'e and Tina.

" Finally, some hot guy on guy action ! " Ashant'e yelled happily, making them glare at her.

" On the count of three, gay pleasures arise ! " Tina said grinning, making them sigh.

" Now. Come on, let's just do this thing. " Ericel said as Duc slowly nodded. As they leaned closer, they didn't know that Anne had sneaked the camera out from behind Ericel. As their lips touched, a strange feeling passed through them as their eyes opened. The five seconds flew bye as they quickly flew apart when a flash went off.

" Hey ! " Ericel yelled as he grabbed his camera off the grinning Anne. As he and Duc saw the picture, the immediately blushed and looked at each other. When they realized how close they were sitting to each other the entire time, the quickly scooted apart as Ericel cleared his throat.

" Uhh, I think we've had enough for tonight. " Daisuke said as he realized it was now _really _late.

" Yeah, I'm out of camera space anyway. " Ericel said.

" But hey, if we didn't enjoy tonight's … _festivities_, at least the developers at the photo shop will ! " Gilbert grinned.

" I'll say, they'll probably charge us more for busting their guts. " Anne smiled.

" They can do that ? " Daisuke asked as they just stared at him.

" Baka. " Kat shook her head.

" Ok, I guess we'll be going back now then. " Ashant'e said as their group got up.

" Hey, how are you guys gonna get back ? " Gilbert asked.

" We have a way. " Ashant'e grinned as they waved goodbye. Gilbert just shrugged as Daisuke and Anne crawled towards the door and looked out.

" Oh look, what's that !? " Ericel pointed to the left as Duc looked over. The moment he did, he pinched the back of his neck and he went unconscious, making Daisuke and Anne sweat drop.

" Where did he learn that ? " Daisuke asked as they waved goodbye to their friends as Ashant'e teleported away.

" I have _no _idea. " she grinned knowingly.

**--**

" Well, that was fun. " Ericel admitted as Duc slowly woke up. Ashant'e and Kat moved back into their rooms while Ericel dragged Duc back into their room and waited for him to wake up.

" Wha- … what happened ? " he looked around as Ericel gave a small wave.

" Yo. " Ericel greeted as Duc realized where he was.

" I fell asleep again ? " he asked as Ericel nodded.

" Ah. Ok then, good night. " he said as he got up.

" You're not going to sleep yet ? " Ericel asked as his friend shook his head.

" Nope, gonna take a dip in the hot springs first before I go to bed. " he said as he reached up to a cabinet and pulled out the essentials.

" Oh, ok … mind if I get a snack from the kitchen ? " he asked as Duc nodded. As they both left the room, David just turned around, unaware of what happened the past hours.

**--**

" So, what was it like kissing Davis ? " Tina asked as they were back in the solitude of their room. Anne immediately blushed and thanked the moon that it was the only light source.

" What do you mean ? " she asked as she looked away.

" Come on, you know what I mean. " she made her eyebrow go up as Anne looked at her strangely.

" I- uh … what about your kiss with Eric ? " Anne asked as she made Tina raise her eyebrow.

" What about it ? And don't change the subject ! " she yelled as Anne looked at her sheepishly.

" It was … nice. " she finally said.

" Ooh ! Really. So, tell me more. " Tina tried to inquire as Anne just stared at her friend.

" Tell me about Eric first … Is he a good kisser ? " she asked inquisitively.

" What ? No. " she shook her head while Anne just stared at her.

" Fine, he's good. But I guess I'm not really sure … since we haven't kissed, kissed. Anyways, stop wondering, tell me more ! " Tina said while Anne sighed as her distraction failed … again …

" I- whoa, look at the time ! I think I'm gonna go to sleep now. " Anne said as she walked over to her bed.

" Hey ! We're not fin- "

" Good night ! " Anne called out as she buried her head into the pillow, making Tina sigh.

**--**

" So, you still awake ? " Gilbert called as Daisuke shook awake.

" Dude. " he simply said.

" So, got your dream kiss today ? " Gilbert grinned.

" Wha-what do you mean ? " he said nervously, making Gilbert laugh.

" You know what I mean. " he said happily.

" … So, how was Kat ? " he asked as he heard Gilbert shrug.

" She was … different. I have to admit though, it was nice to kiss a girl without having her smother you. " he said, with a slight sad tone so hidden Daisuke wasn't even sure he heard.

" I guess you're referring to Bianca ? " he said without doubt.

" Yeah. I mean, Bianca's pretty and all, but when she kisses you, it's so hard, and rough- "

" Ok dude, don't need details ! " Daisuke covered his ears.

" Whoops, sorry. " he chuckled as they resumed their earlier positions of just staring at the ceiling.

" So … you're a senior eh. " Daisuke said quietly.

" Yeah. Yes I am, why ? "

" Just wondering. You bored hanging out with us freshmen ? … Except for Kat … but she doesn't go to school … " Daisuke trailed off.

" So hey, what's Kat's story ? … And no, I'm having fun with you little children. " Daisuke frowned as he could just see Gilbert smirking.

" Kat huh ? … I don't think she would want me telling her story. " Daisuke finally said.

" Its ok, I understand. " he said.

" Well, not that I would know anyway. The only person she talks to is Eric and David … her … _guardian_. " he said slowly.

" So, Eric. What's his relationship to you guys ? " Gilbert suddenly asked.

" Why ? " Daisuke asked.

" Just wondering. " Gilbert replied.

" Well, Ashant'e and Eric have a ... interesting relationship, sort of a love/hate thing … though more on the hate. As I said before, Eric's the only one Kat talks to. Me and Eric have known each other since second grade, and we met Tina and Anne during third, and we've been best friends. When we got to sixth grade though … " he said quietly as Gilbert looked over at him.

" Is this another thing where I don't wanna ask ? " Gilbert asked as Daisuke nodded.

" And Duc, hmmm, not really sure. They did seem kinda familiar to each other though. " Daisuke said.

**--**

" Whoo ! " Duc sighed in refreshment as he wrapped a towel around his neck, his hair still in its gravity-defying spiky shape.

" Hey. " Ericel greeted as Duc walked into the kitchen.

" Hey. " Duc said as he moved over to the table Ericel was leaning on.

" Milk tea ? " Ericel asked as he held a steaming cup towards him.

" Thanks. " Duc said as he accepted the cup. They were about to raise it to take a drip when there was a bright flash of light and a great shake.

" What the hell ? " they said at the same time as they let their cups go.

" Holy shit ! " Ashant'e yelled as she rolled out the door.

" What hap- " Ericel started to say when he heard gunshots !

" Freeze the hell out of your behind ! " Misato's voice yelled out as she and Kat came flipping out moments later.

" What ? " David stuck his head out as there was another flash from the girls' room.

" Ashant'e. You are coming with _me_ ! " a giant humanoid came out dressed in a glowing suit of violet armor.

" Dang, we're on vacation ! " Ericel yelled tiredly.

**--**

**So, how's that ? Yeah, I know, a lot of cliffhangers but hey, gotta love 'em. ** **So, review and I'll post up the next chapter soon !**


	29. Coming Back Home !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 29**

**Thanks to all my reviewers !**

" PRINCESS ASHANT'E ! YOUR FATHER CALLS FOR YOU AT ONCE ! " the humanoid monster yelled in a giant voice as they all turned towards Ashant'e.

" Your DAD !? " they all chorused. She just looked over at them and shrugged, smiling sheepishly.

" Hehehe. " she laughed nervously as they turned back to the giant guard.

" PRINCESS, IF YOU DO NOT COME WILLINGLY, AND I WILL HAVE TO FORCE YOU. " he shouted as Ashant'e took a step back.

" Come on ! Doesn't dad realize I ran away from home for a reason ? I don't want to live that life anymore ! " she shouted as she ran to the others.

" _Shikuchi ! _" she teleported them all as they appeared in front of the others' hotel.

" Oh damn. " Ashant'e muttered before she collapsed as a bright light came from nowhere, though it quickly faded.

" What the heck is going on !? " Duc asked as Ericel checked on Ashant'e. They both quickly raised their head when a strong wind suddenly blew.

" HAND HER OVER NOW PEASANT ! " it yelled, making their veins cross angrily. Suddenly, the other group's heads stuck out and gaped in surprise.

" What's- " Daisuke started.

" STAY OUT OF THIS ! " the suit of armor called out as he thrust his hand out at them, and a shock wave ran out. They all yelped in horror as they raised their arms instinctively.

" Aaaggghhh ! " they all yelped as they shot back and blasted against the wall, destroying the wall ! As the smoke emerged, they were all injured and unconscious as they lay on the floor motionless.

" Davis ! Anne ! " Ericel screamed as he shot up but the humanoid just looked at him.

" GET OUT OF THE WAY ! " he shouted as he thrust a palm forward, sending Ericel blasting backwards and smashing against the tree behind him, breaking it in half ! As he fell forward, Misato ran back to her student while Duc slung Ashant'e over his shoulder and carried her away.

" BRING HER BACK NOW ! " he yelled as he sent out another blast at Duc, but Kat just simply stood in front of it, blocking it.

" Move away. " she said as Duc hurried away.

" YOU'RE A STONG ONE. BUT I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO STOP ME ! " it yelled as he was about to send a blast out, but she beat him to it.

" _Jaen ! _" she called out as Duc watched in amazement as a flame blast out in a single whip and struck the hand away, breaking his attack. As he lifted his foot, he struck it on the ground and sent a strong wave to her leg which hit her directly and crippled her !

" Damn. " she cursed as she fell to the ground and grasped her leg. Duc was about to help her but she turned back sharply.

" No, stay back. " she said as the giant being hovered above her.

" YOU MIGHT BE STRONG, BUT NOT STRONG ENOUGH ! " he said as she just smirked.

" You think so ? " she said as she raised her finger to the sky. Kat remained unfazed as she saw the monster put his hands together and an orb of energy appeared.

" _DAI-JAEN !_ " Kat screamed out as a flame lit upon her finger and she pointed at him. As their attacks were launched at the same time, they were evenly matched as they group gathered behind her.

" What is going on ? " Duc asked as Ericel slowly regained consciousness. Misato just shook her head as she checked on Ashant'e. Kat evened the battle but she was clearly losing and she was starting to sweat.

" Ah ! " she yelped as the giant sent another blast at it broke through her most powerful attack, flinging her back to the others. Kat looked up slowly and wiped the blood that dripped from her mouth. They all fell back against the monster as it raised an arm.

" TO REVALTIO ! " he yelled out in his booming voice as he swept his arm down, creating a blue portal. As a strong vacuum was created, it had a certain pull on Ashant'e as she started towards the portal. Misato, Duc, and Kat gripped the broken tree trunk as Ericel too started to slip !

" No ! " Duc yelled as he grabbed Ericel, and started slipping too ! As he fell off, Kat grabbed his legs and Misato grabbed hers, her legs hanging tightly onto the tree.

" Ashant'e ! " Ericel woke up with a startle as he grabbed the princess's arm. He looked up slowly as the monster loomed over him and sent down a powerful chop, breaking his grip on her !

" No ! Duran ! " he screamed out as his dog appeared and bit the humanoid's arm. As he yelped out in pain, Ashant'e slipped through the portal !

" NO ! " Ericel yelled as he jumped through the portal, Duran following him, Duc following it, Kat following him, and Misato following her as they all traveled to … a new world … or so they thought !

" ERIC ! " Daisuke called out as his magical staff grew out and kept the portal open ! As Anne appeared behind him, they both grabbed Misato and pulled, bringing the whole gang back.

" What the hell just happened !? " Duc looked around quickly as they all fell to the ground. They just shook their head tiredly as they collapsed back onto the ground.

**--**

" Oh my god, I can't believe our trip is over ! " Daisuke whined as they were all at the train station. After the attack, everyone seemed to slightly bond even more through the ordeal as they had to make up excuses for the giant hole in the wall. Still though, they spent the rest of the vacation spending as much fun as they could as every once in a while, they would try to steal Ericel's camera, each with a different purpose.

" Awww, bye you guys ! I'm gonna have to go back to Osaka soon too ! Come visit us again though ! " Duc said cheerfully as they all waved goodbye to their newfound friend, who surprisingly wasn't that freaked out when Ericel explained it to him … though not everything. Tina and Gilbert on the other hand have hit their head so hard that they lost their memory of it !

" Well, ciao guys ! " Ericel waved to the group as Misato stared at him.

" And where do you think you're going ? " she asked as Ms. Lopez and Ms. Garcia were trying to keep the girls from killing each other. Poor Ms. Garcia, she had a horrible time as the girls spent the entire time bickering with each other.

" Come on, I wanna ride home with them ! " Ericel pouted as he looked over when David and Kat rode in on his motorcycle.

" Eric, but I'm responsible for you. What if your dad asks where you are ? What am I supposed to say ? " she asked as Ericel put on a helmet.

" Please ! David already said it was ok so just leave everything to him ok ? Don't worry, I'll probably get there even before you. " Ericel said as he mounted the bike behind Kat.

" Oh … fine. David, I'm holding you to that. " Misato said as the train announcer called that it was almost time to depart.

" Don't worry, we'll be fine. " David grinned as Misato just nodded tiredly as they all boarded the bus. While Duc waved to his new friends sadly, he turned back and started walking back to his grandparents' inn when a black limousine appeared in front of him.

" Chibi-sama, your father says it is time to come home. " the familiar guard announced as he stepped out.

" What ? Already ? But I haven't even said bye to baa-chan and ji-jii yet ! " Duc yelled in surprise as the guard just gave him a sad look.

" I'm sorry, and we will tell them you've said goodbye, but you father is adamant. " he said regretfully as Duc's wide eyes slowly closed tiredly.

" Fine. What does he expect me to so this time ? " he said sadly as he boarded the extravagant automobile.

" He wants you to be there when he unveils his new company. " he said as Duc gave a bitter laugh.

" So I guess he's going to be more and more busy from now on huh ? " Duc said sadly as his bodyguard nodded.

" Fine, I got it. " he said as the car started driving.

" And remember, you have to go back to school tomorrow. " he said, making Duc nod.

" Yeah, I know. " he said sadly as his guard cast him another sad look.

" Look, I know you hate it there but it's one of the best private schools in Nippon- "

" Yeah, I know, I know. You're right, I don't exactly like it but I guess if dad wants me to take over the family business … " he trailed off as he stared out the window. All remains of the happy and bubbly Duc from before were erased as they drove to the airport.

**--**

" Wow, I can't believe we're already back home. " Daisuke breathed in a full breath as they group stared back at their hometown. Suddenly, Daisuke frowned as he looked over at Anne as she had a forlorn expression.

" Anne ? " he called out as she looked back at him.

" Oh, yeah ? … I'm sorry. My mom's here to pick me up, I better not keep her waiting. " Anne said quickly as she rushed off to where her mom was waiting impatiently with an irritated expression on her face.

" HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME ! " Daisuke turned around as he heard Bianca's screeching voice.

" Whoa, calm down. I already apolo- "

" SORRY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH ! " she screamed as Daisuke felt sorry for the senior. When he turned back, he looked on in surprise as a motorbike came ripping across the street.

" Whoa … " Ericel's eyes twirled as he wobbly stepped off the bike and took off his helmet. When Daisuke walked over and plucked a yellow feather out of his head, he gave him a questioning look.

" Oh … Don't ask. " Ericel said tiredly as they both spotted Ashant'e. She seemed normal, but they could all tell that she was troubled deeply ever since the attack. When Ericel asked her about it, he realized she didn't want to talk about it and no one else was brave enough to try. As they each made their way to their respective homes, Ericel opened his door in confusion. His dad gave him a kind hug before he turned back to the hallway.

" Honey, want to come out for dinner ? " he called out as Ericel looked at him in question.

" Want me to keep your plate warm ? " he called out as Eriol gave his son a sheepish smile.

" … Want to make a noise so I don't call 911 ? " Eriol called out as a thump came from Loan's door.

" Thanks baby ! " he called out in a loud voice as Ericel slowly walked in.

" What happened ? " he asked as Eriol gave his son a smile.

" I'm not sure, something happened at school yesterday. " Eriol said as Ericel nodded. He simply took off his bag and dropped them on the floor. He knocked on the door, and when he got no response he knocked again.

" Go away ! " she called out.

" Loan ! It's me, your brother ? " he called out as the door opened a crack.

" Oh, welcome home. " she said as she shut the door again.

**--**

" I'm home ! " Daisuke called out as he saw that his grandparents' shoes were gone.

" Oh, I guess they're out. Might as well develop these myself. Ericel knows I can do a lot better that those people at the store. " Daisuke said as he pulled out Ericel's camera. As he walked into the darkroom, he got to work.

**--**

**So, not a cliffhanger this time eh ? … Ok, it kinda is but hey, just review please ! I'll update soon, but only if you review !**


	30. SCHOOL PLAYS AND TOURNAMENTS !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 30**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, SakuraxKurama, and Sapph1reDrag0n thanks for reviewing !**

" Dad, you have no idea what's wrong with her ? " Ericel asked as his father shook his head.

" No, she's been like that a couple of days since you left. " he said as Ericel quickly processed the information. She was 11 years old … she's been acting weird for awhile now … then he remembered, girls mature faster that boys … it couldn't be …

" Dad … I think I know what's wrong. Just let me take care of it. " Ericel said as he walked outside and pulled out his phone.

" Anne ? " he called as her voice answered.

" Yeah, what's up ? " she asked as she sat in her room tiredly.

" Uhhh … you're a girl right ? " he asked, making her veins cross angrily.

" Nothing gets by you does it ? " she said in a fake voice.

" Ok, then I need your help. " he said in a nervous tone.

" Yeah, about what ? " she asked.

" You've already had your period right ? "

" WHAT !? "

**--**

" So, here it is. " Anne said as she handed him the bag. He nervously took the bag and smiled sheepishly.

" Sorry … ya know, mom woulda' done this time but … you know … " he trailed off.

" Yeah, I know. Don't worry about it, just call when it happens again. " Anne said as she waved goodbye and Ericel slowly closed the door behind him. As he walked over to Loan's door, he knocked before she opened the door wide enough for him to slip the bag in and then she closed it again.

" Are you ok ? " he called out.

" … Yeah. " she finally said.

" You need me to call Anne or something ? " he asked.

" No. " she answered.

" … Ok. " he said as he left her to her business. Now that the problem at home was better, time to question Ashant'e … but not before getting his camera first.

**--**

As Daisuke slowly pulled out the photos and hanged them, he grabbed the camera and slowly walked outside back into the living room.

" Hey. " Ericel greeted as he opened the front door and walked in while Daisuke quirked his eyebrow.

" That was open ? " he asked while Ericel sweat dropped.

" … yeah, ok. Camera please ? " he asked as he held out his hand. Daisuke tossed it to him as Ericel pocketed the silver rectangle.

" The pictures done yet ? " he asked as Daisuke shook his head.

" Why ? … Oh. Can't wait to see your kiss with Duc again eh ? " he said in a teasing voice, making Ericel blush.

" Yeah, sure. And don't worry, I won't remind Anne you're keeping a copy of her in a pink dress … and you're kiss too ! " he said, making Daisuke blush before he ran outside. As his fun mood diminished, he got serious again.

" Now, to Misato's house. "

**--**

Ashant'e was in her room … floating in mid-air deep in thought as Misato was at work at the police station. When there was a knock at the door, she didn't seem to react. As more knocking continued, she just sighed.

" Come in ! " she called out unmoving as she heard the front door open. As the door to her room opened, she finally looked over.

" What if it wasn't me ? " he asked as she just yawned.

" I could tell it was you anyways. " she said as she slowly fell to the bed under her. Ericel rolled his eyes and walked over to her.

" So, wanna talk about it ? " he asked as she looked over at him.

" Talk about what ? " she asked.

" The dud that almost killed me and kidnapped you. " he said directly as she fell back onto her pillow.

" I don't want to talk about it. " she said as he resorted to other options.

" Then why don't you tell me about the tournament instead ? " he asked as her eyes widened and she shot up.

" What do you know ? " she asked as he fell back this time.

" Well, nothing really. That's why I'm askin' you. " he said as she fell back next to him. They spent an unusually quiet time just staring at the ceiling as Ashant'e finally gave out a long sigh.

" You're not gonna give up anytime soon eh ? " Ashant'e asked.

" No. " he said simply as she sighed again.

" … If I tell you … are you going to tell the others ? " she asked as Ericel turned to look at her.

" … No. " he answered after a while.

" Fine. I'll tell you. I guess I'll start by tell you what it is. And if you got any questions, just ask. " she said as they both sat up.

" First of all, back where I lived, I got my power at birth. But that was just because I was born in a noble family, while other people had different requirements. Only about 20 percent of the entire human race even has a _slight_ chance at having the power. First, when you go over eighteen and you decide to give up your powers, you can. But mainly to get them in the first place, they have just be hitting puberty and they need to get hit with a large energy source, something powerful. " she started out as he narrowed his eyes.

" … " he remained quiet as he remembered that morning when he got hit in the shower …

" Anyways, every decade, a battle is held. The reason our world is still alive though so many civilizations have predicted apocalypse is because of the Ryoushi. The tournament is held, mainly to pick out a team of powerful Ryoushi to become the next saviors … and keep the powers afterward. " she said, making him gape.

" So, the team of Ryoushi who wins gets the power to save the world ? Sounds kinda sci-fi huh ? " he asked with wide eyes.

" Well, yeah. I guess so eh ? Well mainly, the Ryoushi are split into teams of three and battle each other out when the time comes. " she said.

" And that time is … ? " he asked.

" We'll just know. Besides that, it's unfair for teams to attack other teams before the battle starts but I guess we've already got a team on our tail right ? " she chuckled.

" But then, if a team got a whole bunch of power, where are they now ? " he asked.

" They're frozen in stone. " she said as he gaped.

" W-why ? They saved our planets didn't they ? " he asked.

" True, but then they got power hungry. The pure souls of the innocent teenagers were tainted with greed as they got more and more powerful. So, they were captured in stone and hidden beneath a temple in my hometown. " she said as Ericel slowly nodded.

" So … why didn't you want to tell us ? And what are the qualifications of joining in the battle anyway ? "he asked in interest.

" To join the battle, you have to go to this weird Ryoushi school where you have to train until your personal teacher says that you can go on. And the reason I didn't tell you was … we get seriously hurt in this battle. Of course the judge officials won't let us die, but there have been some cases where they weren't fast enough … " she quieted down.

" So … what now ? " he asked as she just sighed.

" I have no idea. But I'll tell you this, I don't want you or the others to fight in it. " she said in a tone that allowed no room to talk back to.

**--**

Back at school, things proceeded normally … until they realized it was almost time for …

" Remember everyone, the literary festival is coming up ! " Ms. Mai Tokiha called out as they were back in homeroom at the end of the day. As a gentle breeze waved through her auburn hair, Ashant'e looked over at the others.

" Literary festival ? " she asked.

" Yeah, just a festival where we honor special works of literature. " Ericel said as Tina nodded next to him.

" Last year, we just did a little assemble while we were still in junior high. " Tina informed as Ashant'e slowly nodded.

" We all voted yesterday, and the project for 5-B is going to be a play ! " she said enthusiastically as everyone started chattering.

" Really ? Wow, I wonder what the story will be. " Ericel leaned back in his chair while Ms. Tokiha continued smiling.

" And since 8-B is doing a play also, and a western one at that, I thought we could do a western story too, just a little competition between classes. " she said as they all sweat dropped, they knew how competitive the two teachers were with each other.

" And for the title of the play you've all been waiting for … " she picked up a piece of chalk and started writing on the board. When she finished, the whole class erupted.

" SLEEPING BEAUTY !? "

**--**

" CINDERELLA !? " Ms. Natuski Kuga grinned at them as her class gaped.

" Seriously !? " Daisuke and Anne gasped in horror.

" And to let everyone have a fair chance at each role, we're deciding by amidakuji. " she said as she rolled out the large paper. Ms. Kuga swept her blue hair over her ear before she turned back to the others, smiling evilly.

" So, who's first ? "

**--**

" Everyone, come up by your class number and write your name please ! " Ms. Tokiha called out as they quickly filled up the amidakuji chart.

" I wonder what part I'm getting ! " Tina said excitedly as Ericel just leaned back in his chair.

" So, Sleeping Beauty is the one where a sleeping princess gets woken up by the kiss of a prince right ? " Ashant'e asked as Tina nodded excitedly. Together, they eagerly eyed every cute guy in their homeroom.

" Let's reveal the result then shall we ? " Ms. Tokiha said as she pulled out the paper above the bridges and revealed each role.

" Oh, I hope I get a good part ! " Tina clasped her hand together.

" And the prince and princess are … " Ms. Tokiha trailed her finger down and down the ladders as it finally reached the names, and everyone stood up to get a better look.

" Ah " they looked in awe as they turned around. Ericel opened in eyes and Ashant'e sweat dropped as they screamed.

" Oh SHIT ! "

**--**

" Are you freakin' SERIOUS ! " Daisuke and Anne screamed out as they scanned the board. When they glanced at each other, they instinctively jumped back as they looked at the board once more. As the bell rang, they quickly grabbed their backpacks and ran out the room, only slowing down as they reached the street.

" I can't believe I got to play the part as one of the fairies ! " Tina said happily as the other two glared at her. They looked over at the tired Daisuke and Anne and quickly caught up.

" Yo, what play are you guys doing ? " Ericel asked as Daisuke jerked his head up.

" How did you know ? " he asked quickly.

" Our teacher told us. " Tina said as Anne looked around nervously. When they didn't respond, Ericel and Tina gasped in excitement.

" You two got the lead right !? " they shouted excitedly as the other two blushed.

" So, what play is it ? " Ashant'e prodded as they shot her a look.

" What play are _you_ guys doing ? " Anne asked as Ericel and Ashant'e blushed furiously.

" We're doing Sleeping Beauty ! " Tina shouted happily.

" TINA ! " the duo yelled at her as Daisuke and Anne started laughing hysterically.

" And what parts did you get ? " Daisuke asked as Ericel and Ashant'e froze.

" We're not telling. " they both turned cheek as Daisuke quirked his eyebrow.

" Tina. " Anne said quickly.

" I'll tell you if you tell us your parts first. " she grinned as Daisuke and Anne glanced at each other nervously before giving in.

" We're doing Cinderella. " they said at the same time.

" I'm the prince, " Daisuke said.

" And I'm Cinderella. " Anne replied glumly as the other three laughed, very happy now.

" And you ? " they asked as they all sighed tiredly.

" Sleeping Beauty. I'm Sleeping Beauty. " Ericel muttered.

" I'm the prince. "

" And I'm a fairy ! "

**--**

**So, fun eh ? I know you're looking forward to the next chapter so please review and I'll update soon !**


	31. A Little Bonding Time

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 31**

**Azure Kaze, KaiAN-Chan, SakuraxKurama, Chelement Me, Anbu Nin Alchemist, and Sapph1reDrag0n, thanks for reviewing !**

**Oh, and not all belongs to me. You who know what I mean, than you know. Those who don't … just don't know.**

The embarrassing play parts put aside, it was the weekend and it was time for some bonding time … which didn't go as good as Ericel had planned.

" Come on ! " he whined as Anne shook her head.

" Sorry, but I have to do something this weekend. " she said as he just sighed.

" Please ! I mean seriously, you guys have gotta talk to Kat sooner or later ! " he yelled as she just shook her head again.

" Look, you know it's not about that … it's just that- "

" Hey, I know you and Davis don't exactly trust her because of the whole fire incident but come on ! " he whined again as she just looked away.

" You guys have to give her a chance ! " he yelled as she walked away.

_' Dang, so Anne and Davis are out. Only Ashant'e is willing to talk to her but that was before she knew that Kat almost killed me the first time we met … '_ he sighed tiredly as school let out.

" Fine, time to talk to Kat. " he said determinedly as he walked out of school briskly.

**--**

" Come on, why don't you ever hang out with us ? " Ericel whined as he trailed Kat around slightly more furnished building.

" Because. " she said simply as she walked faster.

" Why !? " he pouted.

" Leave me alone. " she grumbled.

" Come on ! It's not like they hate you or anything. " he said, as she stiffened slightly. She regained composure quickly but not before he caught it.

" Not now. " she said as she jumped onto a window sill and hopped out, her bracelets appearing and allowing her to fly away. Ericel thought of going after her but she stopped and sighed tiredly.

" Fine, but we're gonna get along sooner or later. " he said in a definite voice.

**--**

" Ok everyone, emergency meeting ! " Ericel yelled out as everyone stared at him. He had pulled out Davis, Ashant'e, and Anne as they were about to go into their house and dragged them to the park.

" Now, people, what's up the attitude !? " he yelled as they quirked their eyebrows.

" Uhhh … what ? " Daisuke asked.

" Yeah, what are you talking about ? And I really need to get home. " Anne said as Ericel sighed into his hand.

" Now tell me, why are all of you avoiding Kat ! " he asked as they all looked away.

" I don't avoid her. " Ashant'e finally said.

" True, but that's because you had to share a room with her. " he said, making Ashant'e scooch back.

" And I'm still waiting for an answer. She thinks you guys hate her. " he said, making them stare at him.

" We don't hate her. " Daisuke said quietly.

" And did she say that ? " Anne asked in a disbelieving tone.

" … Well, no. " Ericel said as they sweat dropped at him.

" So what's the problem ? " she asked.

" We're AVOIDING each other ! And we should be a team, who knows when we come up against another big one ? " he said as they looked away guiltily. As Ericel continued glaring at them, Anne finally talked.

" It's nothing really … it's just kinda weird. " Anne said, avoiding his eye.

" Really ? " he asked, his turn to be confused.

" Eric, it's just that … we're sorta like family. And it's just … weird. " Daisuke said.

" And again … really ? " he asked again.

" It's just that … we've known each other for so long, we grew up together. And it's just weird that you just sorta broke apart from us and accepted her like nothing happened. " Anne said.

" She's not one of us. " Daisuke said simply.

" And I know she's a good person … but it's not like she tries to talk to us either. " Anne continued as Ericel just rolled his eyes tiredly.

" Well what about Ashant'e ? " he asked as he pointed to her.

" She doesn't concern this ! " Anne said as Ashant'e moved over the side to sulk.

" But hey, she's our friend now ok ! So on Saturday night, I'm going to invite her over to a sleepover and you will all attend. No matter what you have planned, no matter what excuses you have, you're are coming. And you will smile, eat, watch movies, and be as nice as possible to her ! " Ericel yelled as he walked away.

" Hey guys ! … What's up ? … Whoa, did I just walk into a drama ? " Tina asked as she looked at all of them. The sulking Ashant'e, the sad expressions of Anne and Daisuke, and the angry demeanor of Ericel.

" Oh, hey. " Anne greeted.

" So, sleepover tomorrow ? " Ericel suddenly asked.

" Sure ! "

**--**

" KAT ! " Ericel yelled out as he entered the building. She raised her head and immediately started running towards the back door but when she opened it, there he was.

" Hey. " he smiled as she staggered back slightly.

" … Hey. " she said simply as she started to turn.

" Doing anything this weekend ? " he asked.

" No. "

" … My dad just got this new TV. " he said suddenly, making her eyes widen. Kat could tell where this was going as she turn and was about to walk before she jumped back again.

" There will be snacks ! " he grinned as he somehow appeared in front of her.

" No, way. " she said as she dodged around him.

" Come on, everybody will be there. " he said as she looked away.

" What did you do, force them ? " she asked as he suddenly found the wall very interesting.

" Anyways, want to come over ? It's gonna be a really fun sleepover. " he said as she just sighed.

" You won't stop until I agree will you ? " she asked as he grinned and shook his head.

" You know, there are counselors out there to help you with your obsessive desire to help. "

" Yeah, and they're there to help people to deal with loneliness like you too. " he grinned as she glared at him.

" Do I have to ? "

" Yes. "

" Or what ? "

" I won't ever make you food ever again. " he grinned as he saw her eyes widen.

**--**

" So, where am I gonna drop you off ? " David suddenly asked the next day.

" Huh ? What, am I getting kicked out already ? " she asked in a serious tone, making David wonder if she was kidding.

" No, Eric called out and said you were spending the night with him and the others. " he said, making her sigh.

" Again … Huh ? … Anyways, no, you don't have to take me anywhere. " she said as she went back to reading her book.

" Come on Kat, I'm glad you're making friends. Especially Eric. " he had to add with a smile. And she couldn't resist and just had to ask.

" What's so good about him ? " she asked as she laid her book down.

" Nothing really, it's just that he seems like a nice boy. A bit on the weird side but still nice. Besides, his dad works at the hospital too. "

" Hospital eh ? " she wondered.

' _A doctor or a nurse … hmm, maybe this is where he gets that weird obsession with helping people … '_

" Yeah, and come on, he's been giving us dinner for the past few weeks. Don't you think you owe him ? " he asked.

" No matter what you say, I'm not going. "

**--**

" I'm not going inside. " she grumbled as David waited for her to get off the motorbike.

" Come on. " he said in a firm tone.

" You know that doesn't work on me. " she said.

" But don't you think it'll be a little weird if they spot the bike just waiting in the middle of the street … in front of their house ? " he asked, making her think of it.

" Not really. "

" It's gonna be good for you. "

" Look, it's not like I was a bad kid or anything. Back then, I wasn't being chased by loan sharks or anything … ok, I was, bad example. But still, I don't need all of this. " she said defiantly.

" Kat, I know you're not a bad kid, that's why I'm doing this. I just want you to be happier. " he said quietly, making her glare at him.

_' Yeah, just hit me with the guilt trip why don't ya. '_

" Just this once, then I won't ever push you to do anything else. " he said as she swung her bag over her shoulder and hopped off.

" Fine, just this _once_. " she said, emphasizing the word. Kat slowly walked towards the door and knocked on it, cringing slightly as she heard the musical tone from inside the house. She was about to turn and tell David she changed her mind but the door already swung open before she could.

" Hi, you must be Kat. " Eriol said kindly, smiling and giving off the definition of fatherliness.

" Yeah. " she answered awkwardly.

" Come in. " he said as he moved over and she walked in.

" No more freakin' anchovies ! " Anne's voice rang out as Kat looked into the kitchen.

" Well I'm eating no more mushrooms. " Tina said as Daisuke glared at her.

" If we left it up to you, we'll all be eating pineapple. " Daisuke said as Ashant'e just looked confused.

" Hey. " Ericel said as he popped out of nowhere.

" Oh, hi. What are they doing ? " she asked.

" Who the hell puts fruit on their pizza ? " she asked in question as Kat just watched them fight.

" Discussing pizza toppings. Happens every time. " he sweat dropped as she slowly nodded.

" I can see that. "

**--**

" So … what are we gonna do now ? " Daisuke asked as they sat around at 6:00 …

" It's barely the afternoon and we ran out of ideas already ? " Ericel quirked his eyebrow.

" Well, not dark enough for movies and can't talk about … other stuff since the parentals are here … " Anne trailed off as she spotted Eric's dad walking in the hallway.

" How about some games ? " Daisuke suggested as he looked around Ericel's room.

" So … how about Clue ? " Daisuke asked as he pulled the game out. Kat just stared at him as they all sweat dropped.

" Forget it, you always cheat. " Tina said as she joined in the search. After a bit of rummaging, she held up her find but Anne just shook her head.

" Not Monopoly, Eric always wins. " Anne said as Ericel just rolled his eyes and joined in the hunt.

" So, how about this … thing ? " Ashant'e asked as she made the brightly colored board game float towards her.

" Candy land ? " they all chorused.

" I don't think so. When the last time we played, Tina and Eric went to trading blows. Should we really risk it ? " Anne asked as the mentioned two looked away shamefully.

" _Ding dong ! _" the bell chimed.

" Ooh, pizza's here ! " Daisuke jumped up as Ericel ran after him. As Kat looked at the others, Tina just shook her head.

" Don't ask. " she mouthed as Kat slowly nodded.

**--**

" So, what game now ? " Ericel asked as they bit into the veggie pizza.

" Uhhh … Truth or Dare ? " Tina asked, still not remembering what happened last time.

" NO ! " Daisuke and Anne both shouted as Ashant'e and Ericel grinned at them slyly.

" Fine then ! Sheesh … Spin the Bottle ? " and guessed who asked … Tina.

" Uhh … no, not this time. " Ericel said as most of them blushed with the memory.

" … Of course, we can't do it without Duc can w- " Daisuke started saying teasingly before Ericel moved over and hit him over the head.

" So then … what ? "

**--**

" Eh. " Ericel, Ashant'e, and Daisuke concluded as the action flick concluded.

" Yeah … that was interesting. " Tina said dully, but they couldn't really blame her.

" I liked it. " Anne said, surprising the others. Well, guess she had to take a break from the peace.

" … Now that that's over, time to watch something I want to ! " Tina said as Kat had a bad feeling.

_' Why do I have a feeling its something totally wrong … like Bambi ? … And why do they keep on staring at … oh. '_ she sighed as she got up when the others kept on eyeing her collar. As she walked into the kitchen, the others stared after her.

" Well that was rude. " Tina pouted as Ericel just shook his head. But he had to admit the others _were_ trying.

" Wait here. " he said as he got up and walked into the kitchen.

" Hey. " he said as she raided his refrigerator.

" Hey. " she replied as she held up a can of soda to him, which he declined to.

" So, what's going on out there ? " he asked as she popped open the top. After a long gulp, she simply pointed at her neck before she sat down at the table.

" What ? " he asked as she rolled her eyes. She dug beneath her shirt and pulled out her collar, which made him silently make an 'oh'.

" I don't think they trust me yet. " she said simply.

" Are you sure ? They really seemed to be trying. I think I should go- " he started but she stopped him.

" No, its ok. I'm used to it. " she said as she started walking towards the door.

" _Hi ya Bambi, I'm Thumper !_ "

" Oh, my god. "

**--**

Hours later and a strange game of Pictionary started …

" Come on, it's the simplest thing in the world ! " Tina said, making them all squint their eyes, very hard.

" I find it hard to believe that whatever that thing is, that it is the simplest thing in the world. Especially with how many Xs and squiggles you used to cross out and emphasize certain parts of it Tina. " Ericel said as they all turned their heads at the strange picture. And there sat Kat who looked less than thrilled with this exclamation.

" A moose ? " Daisuke guessed.

" With six legs ? " Anne asked.

" Hey ! " Tina yelled as she looked at the timer.

" Ooh ! Rocky and Bullwinkle ? " Ericel suggested … though he didn't see the squirrel part …

" Time ! It's Jaws ! How hard could that be ? " Tina yelled as they looked at the picture again.

" That's a shark ? … Did she draw it upside down ? " Ashant'e asked in confusion as they all laughed nervously. As Ericel and Kat glanced at the clock, they all yawned tiredly.

" Can't we go to sleep ? " Ericel whined.

" No ! I have to win ! " Anne said as she grabbed her card. Her face fell quickly though as she saw what it was.

" Ok, five, four, three, two … go. " Ashant'e said as she looked at her watch.

_' And there she goes … is that a dog … or fish ? Dang, none of us can draw besides me ! … Who suggested this game anyways ? … ' _As she scribbled furiously across the paper, she glared at us since we were taking too long to answer.

" … Little Mermaid ? " Ericel guessed, realizing it was wrong as she continued glaring.

" What the hell is that ? " Daisuke asked as he looked on while Anne added fangs … and was that a dead body at its feet ? … Or a fish ?

" Dracula ? " Kat guessed tiredly.

" Time. "Ashant'e said, saving them all.

" Frankenstein ! " she yelled as they all looked on in surprise.

" Oh … the flowers in the hands thing. " Tina realized as she jabbed at the picture.

" And the body is the doctor's ! … Or is it that little girl ? " Ericel looked on in question. When Kat stood up, all eyes landed on her.

" Where ya goin' ? " Daisuke asked as Ericel rolled his eyes.

" Bathroom. " she said as she turned and walked away.

" Now then … why can't we SLEEP ! I'm tired and you guys just keep pulling out game after game after game ! " Ericel whined as Tina also nodded. Besides mediating between Kat and the others … he was just doggone tired !

" We're not tired. " Anne said … her eyes half-closed.

" You've been yawning for the past half-hour. And you, what's up with coffee ? " Ericel asked his best friend as he almost finished downing a whole pot of coffee.

" What can we say, we're trying to be friendly. You know, playing games, talking and watching movies. That's what you wanted right ? " she shot in his face.

" … And this is why sleep is a _good _thing Anne. " he said, making her put her hands over her eyes and give out a long sigh.

" Well ok, we're just a bit, just a _tiny_ smidge afraid of sleeping in the same room with her. " she said, making a gesture with her fingers and laughing nervously under Ericel's glare.

" Just a smidge. "

" You have got to be kidding me. " he sighed as he fell back and closed his eyes.

" She is, but come on. " Daisuke said as they watched Tina go off into the kitchen dismissively.

" What's the problem ? "

" We're just afraid that her collar just _might_ fall off and she'll go all … _mental _again ! " Anne said, waving dramatically.

" Look, I know you're all concerned but Kat's my friend, our friend ! " he said loudly, though they still looked unconvinced.

" Look Eric, I know Kat's proved to us that she is on our side, her collar _could_fall off again and we all know how strong she is. Do you really want to risk it with her power ? " Ashant'e asked as he fell back down.

" Well tell you what, if we wake up tomorrow and she hasn't burned us all to a crisp, you have _got_ to start treating her better. And that means NO staring at her neck ok ! " he said as the door opened. And in came Kat twirling her collar around her finger …

" See ! See ! I told you ! " Daisuke yelled as he jumped up. Ericel gasped in horror but quickly regretted it.

" What ? " Kat asked in confusion as Tina walked in.

" Oh, hey ! Glad you finally took that thing off, like that new choker ya got on ! " Tina said as they all noticed that she did indeed have another collar on.

" What ? … Oh my god. " she said tiredly as she started packing her bag.

**--**

" Kat, wait. " Ericel said as Kat was already outside. Kat turned around and saw none of the others had come to join, though Ericel really did look miserable.

" Ya know, I think you're sorta becoming my stalker. But look here, I put up with the attitudes, ignored the staring problem, and even sat through that horrible movie and game fiasco. But when people start thinking I'm homicidally evil again, I draw the line. " she said.

" Look, I know you don't feel that good. But when you walked in twirling your collar … "

" Yeah, that was stupid of me, and I admit it. Oh wait, I though I admitted that when I was packing. " she said tiredly as she turned to walk again but Ericel grasper her arm.

" Look, it's not fine. Nobody deserves to get treated like that, especially not by a group of people that are gonna be around you for awhile. " he said sadly.

" But look, I don't have to hang around them. You made me come here tonight. You made them come, you set this all up. And I know you had good intentions, but it was the wrong thing to do. Look, why is it so important we get along ? Ok, not everyone in the world instantly likes everybody else, and me and the others are no exception. So why are you pushing this so hard ? " she asked as he just looked downcast.

" I just wanted everyone to get along. I didn't want you to go through this alone. " he said, making her sigh.

_' So it was all about me the entire time ? Damn ! When did everyone become king of the guilt-trip today ? '_

" Look, I'm not alone. " she said but as he still looked skeptical, she sighed. Kat dropped her bag and steered him to the front porch.

" Eric, I'm not alone. " she said, using that version of his name for the first time.

_' Dear god, I am SUCH a good person … and I am SO gonna regret this tomorrow. '_

" After all, we're friends right ? " she asked, having to smile inwardly as Ericel beamed at her happily.

" Of course we are. "

" So, I'm not alone. " she said again. Still smiling but not looking exactly happy, Ericel turned to her.

" I guess you're not.

_' There, that wasn't so hard was it ? He finally stopped badgering me, tolerated most of the night, and no one died today … yet. I call that successful. '_

" I still want you to stay though. "

" Hey, we _might_ be friends, and in time I could possibly have a platonic relationship with the others, but I would be out of my mind if I stayed here. " she said.

" Can't really blame ya there. " he chuckled. As she swung her bag over her shoulder, she looked back one last time and frowned.

_' Wow, I actually feel sorry for him, sitting there all sad and pitiful. Must really want us all to get along. '_

" So … wanna hang out another time ? … Or something ? "

" Yeah, sure ! " he brightened quickly.

_' Doesn't take much to make him happy does it. '_

" Hey Kat ? " he called out.

" What ? "

" You realize this night was the most we've talked to each other since we've met. " he smiled.

" Don't push it. "

**--**

**Hey, this longer-than-normal chapter done ! So how was it ? I know some of the characters seemed kinda weird, but ya gotta remember we're all teenagers and we all get snappy once in awhile right ? So I tried out that mind thing again, so how'd I do for Kat ? So please review, and I'll update soon with your suggestions ! … Oh, if you're wondering, the fluff between Ericel and Kat was nothing really, just a shot at it. So that means Ericel isn't exactly gonna end up with Kat … or so I know of yet … gotta consult my Muse ok ?**


	32. Problems, Like Seriously !

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 32**

**Oh, and the Getbacker characters are in this too ! Have you guys watched that anime ?**

" NNNOOOO ! " Ericel yelled in horror as he looked at his costume fell down dramatically.

" … Geez, you don't have to be so dramatic … And get off your knees ! " Caffie yelled as Ericel glared at her.

" But this …_ thing_ is so disgusting ! " Ericel wailed as his friend rolled her eyes.

" But you're playing a girl … and a rather strangely good-lucking one so just shut up ! " she yelled. Anyone else would say she was mean but he already knew that this was her being _nice_. But still, he glared at her as he looked over at Ashant'e trying on her outfit.

" Oh. My. God. " Ashant'e muttered in horror as she looked down at the age-worn costume. She suddenly felt dizzy and felt her head, but quickly recovered, making sure no one noticed.

" Oh … it looks like we really don't have any other costumes do we ? … Shit, picked the wrong chest." Ms. Tokiha sighed as everyone else looked at their teacher and own costumes in horror.

" Me and Natsuki. " she said simply as the class ' oh 'ed. Then, Ashant'e and Ericel's eyes gleamed evilly as they glanced at the class next door. They glanced at their teacher but she just shrugged.

" Sorry guys, lost the costumes to them fair and square. " she said as the two teenagers sighed and their shoulders drooped … but it wasn't over yet …

**--**

" Oh, my god ! " Anne squealed as she looked at the glistening gown in front of her. The other girls looked in delight as she lifted up the shining robe and twirled it around. On the other side of the room, Daisuke himself was admiring his own costume that seemed almost new.

" Well, gotta say … this thing is cool ! " Daisuke said just before the classroom door opened.

" Oh, my, god ! " the two unfortunate teens gasped as they spotted the costumes.

" That is no fair ! " Ericel shouted as Anne and Daisuke glanced at them in question.

" Hey guys, what's up ? " Anne asked as the other two pouted.

" This is so UNFAIR ! " Ericel whined to the princess next to him.

" You guys got the GOOD costumes ! " Ashant'e said as Anne glanced down at her costume.

" What ever do you mean ? " Anne asked innocently as she hid the dress behind her. Ericel looked over at Daisuke's costume on the pole and gasped as he touched it.

" Aww man ! Silk !? " Ericel exclaimed as Daisuke stared at him.

" What's the big deal ? " Daisuke asked.

" You and Anne got these … fabulous costumes ! And me and Ashant'e got these hideous … things ! " Ericel pouted as Ashant'e nodded alongside him.

" So, what's the big deal guys ? It's just costumes. " Anne said as Ericel glared at her.

" Hey, this is for the film festival, everyone's gonna be there ! And this could be the defining moment in my career- "

" I thought you wanted to be an artist. " Daisuke cut him off.

" Hey, shut it ! " Ericel yelled.

" Jeez, why are you taking this so seriously ? " Anne asked as they continued glaring at them.

" You would be pissed off too if you had to wear … THIS ! " they both yelled as they held up their … costumes …

" Aaagghhh ! " the other two jumped back in horror … seriously.

" I KNOW ! " they both shouted as Anne gave a sheepish smile.

" … It's not that bad … " she said as Ericel did not appreciate her sarcasm.

" Oh, really. Then wanna trade costumes ? "

" NO ! " she said as she jumped back and clutched the dress to her chest.

" Ah ha ! I knew it ! " Ericel pointed at her.

" Come on ! " he cajoled.

" No ! "

" Come on ! "

" No ! "

" Why not ! "

" I'm a better actor than you and I have the figure ! " she yelled as Ericel gasped loudly.

" You, bitch. " he said dramatically as she rolled her eyes. Ashant'e meanwhile was fighting with Daisuke also.

" Fine, fine, I see how it is. " Ashant'e said.

" We'll see who has the more applause at the end of the show ! " Ericel yelled as they exited.

" … You know, it was kinda weird having Eric fight with me over a dress … " Anne said quietly.

" Yeah … it was kinda fun though. " Daisuke grinned.

**--**

" No way am I losing to them ! " Ericel said as they got back to class.

" You got that right ! " Ashant'e said as the whole class suddenly cheered. As Ericel continued on, she pulled out a chair and sat down, feeling a headache again but trying her best to hide it.

" … Yeah, that's right ! We're not going to let the other class win right !? " Ericel said as the class cheered again.

" They're not going to perform the better play, we are right !? " he said as they cheered again. Suddenly, Kathy pushed a chair in front of him with a wink as he got up on it.

" When people come to the film festival, they're gonna come watch _our_ play right ? " he said as they cheered again.

" When they watch our plays, they're gonna cheer for _us_ more right ? " he said as they yelled again.

" So, let's get to working then ! We should make some new costumes ourselves, and it will be better than class 8-B's right ! Ok then, let's start working ! " he said as the class immediately got to work while Ms. Tokiha just watched them with a smile, but then looked at Ashant'e in worry.

**--**

As Ericel got home, a cop car suddenly zoomed past and he gasped as he saw who was in the backseat. But instead of the normally happy looking boy he saw from before, he was all cut up and bruised.

" … Duc ? " He immediately threw his backpack down and quickly ran outside towards the police station ...

**--**

" Come on, you have to tell us what happened so we can take care of you. " a man said as Duc sat there, refusing to talk before the cranky police officer just gave up and left. After awhile, Duc slowly relaxed but when the door opened up again, he stiffened before he saw who it was.

" Duc … is that you ? " Misato asked in surprise as he immediately recognized her.

" Hey … it's you. " he said quietly as she kneeled down next to his chair.

" What happened ? Last time I saw, you were staying at your grandparents' right ? " Misato asked as she remembered their trip at Hakone.

" Yeah, I know. But my dad's security came to pick me up right after … " the moment he saw Misato's strange look, he quickly explained.

" My dad is Mido … "

" Ban Mido ? Head of Mido Industries ? One of the riches companies in all of Nippon ? " Misato asked in surprise as Duc slowly nodded.

" … When I got home one day, I barely stepped in when there was an attack. I guess dad's fortune was finally appealing to others as he quickly ran off with my sister and I escaped too … and now, here I am … but I do hope Ginji's ok … " he trailed off as Misato quickly made use of her photographic memory.

" Let me in ! " a voice suddenly yelled out.

" I'm sorry son, but I can't let you in. " a man deep voice could be heard. Suddenly, there was the sound of leather being flipped and moments later Ericel rushed in.

" Hey, this badge is pretty useful. " he said in a tired voice as Duc glanced at the familiar boy.

" … Eric ? " Duc asked as Ericel looked over at him.

" Yeah, what happened ? " Ericel immediately rushed over and asked in worry as he took in Duc's condition.

" Nothing, I'm fine. " he said as Ericel bit his lip to stop him from saying anything else.

" Misato, can we hurry up and get him out of here ? " he suddenly as she looked a bit shocked. But she regained composure and nodded. As she headed out, Duc was quickly set free through much … _convincing_ ( On Misato's part of course … ) and they were out of there.

" Ok, come here. " Ericel suddenly said as he moved them into an alley.

" … Ok, this looks _really_ weird. " Misato mused as Ericel rolled his eyes.

" Now Duc, close your eyes for a bit ok ? " Ericel asked gently as Duc complied. He rested his hand against his cheek and closed his eyes as his ring started glowing. In a silent chant, a warm rush flashed through Duc and then Ericel lifted his palm.

" Al'righty then, nice and neat. " Ericel grinned as all of his injuries were gone ! Duc slowly opened his eyes and felt his cheeks and flashed a smile as big as the time before.

" Oh my god ! Thank you so much ! " Duc said ecstatically as he jumped into Ericel's surprised arms.

" Aww. " Misato gushed as they jumped apart and flushed. Suddenly, a car reeled right past them and gunfire broke out ! When there was a giant crash, they immediately ran out and gasped.

" That's them ! " Duc yelled as he pointed to a dark car with men holding guns …

**--**

" Mom, I'm here ! " Anne called out as she got home. She stopped in her tracks as she saw her mom walking around anxiously.

" Mom, what's wrong ? " Anne asked as her mom looked at her with sad eyes.

" Where were you ? You were late coming home." She said as Anne looked at her in question.

" Sorry, we had to rehearse for a play today … what's up ? "

" … Your father is coming. " she said cryptically as Anne gasped.

" W-why ? " she tried to utter out.

" Because of your brother … "

**--**

" Jii-chan ! Baa-chan ! " Daisuke called out as he entered his home. When he suddenly heard a crash from the kitchen, he dropped his backpack and ran towards the room. He gasped in horror as he saw his grandmother on the floor.

" … Baa-chan … Baa-chan ? JII-CHAN ! " he screamed as he ran right over the broken plate and went to his grandmother's side. He heard the back door slide open and in came his grandfather who looked at them in surprise.

" Wh- … what happened ? " he asked as he rushed over to them.

" I dunno ! I came home and she was like this ! Call the hospital, I'm going next door to get Eric's dad. " Daisuke said as he rushed out.

**--**

Kat was practicing her fire as the door suddenly opened.

" David ? " she asked as she saw something was wrong immediately.

" Hey Kat. "

" What's wrong ? " she asked as he averted his gaze.

" No-nothing's wrong. Come on, let's get outta here. " he stammered as she stared at him. Suddenly, gunfire was heard as she looked around wildly.

" Get out of here now, I'll take care of it. " he suddenly turned serious as he started pushing her towards the back door.

" What's going on ? " she asked as he remained silent. She stomped her foot down and turned to face her guardian.

" No ! Tell me or I'm goin' nowhere ! " Kat said defiantly as he looked down at her pleadingly.

" Nothing's wrong ! … Just another group of people thinkin' they're all that ? " he said as she glared.

" And why am I not helping ? " she asked.

" 'Cause I don't want you to get hurt ? So get a movin'. " he said as he continued pushing.

" No ! I have to help ! " she said as he shook his head defiantly.

" NO ! I'm not letting you. " David said as she sighed.

" Why not ! "

" Because, it's the same people who kidnapped you ! " he suddenly yelled as he covered his mouth.

" The people who kidnapped me ? "

**--**

When she got to Misato's house, Ashant'e immediately fell onto her bed and closed her eyes in a nap. Moments later, she was in deep sleep and starting to thrust herself about.

_ ' …Eric ! Get out of the way ! … ( Gunshot ) … '_

" What the HELL was that ! " Ashant'e shot up covered in sweat as she looked around in horror. She saw Eric … and Misato … getting shot …

" Oh no … I have to find them ! " she said as she jumped up, only to freeze in her tracks when a violet portal appeared a couple of feet away from her. Out stepped a humanoid that seemed the same as the one that came in Hakone, but this one wore pink armor.

" Look, I told you already ! Leave me alone ! I'm not coming back to Kaian no matter what ! Not after what my father did ! " Ashant'e said as she was ready to teleport herself away when the robot-like person took off his … err, _her_ helmet.

" … Onee-chan ? "

**--**

**So … here it is ! A cliffhanger for each character ! How exciting eh ? So hurry up and review please !**


	33. Things Get Serious

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 33**

" What ? That's them ? " Misato asked in question as Duc had a deathly looked in his eye.

" … Eric ! Get out of the way ! " Misato yelled as she pushed him out of the way just as gunfire started. Ericel grabbed Duc and dove to the side as Misato flipped over to them, grabbing her gun from her leg in the process. She fired at them before she retracted.

" Damn ! " she yelped as she got ready to shoot again only for the men to shoot her gun, knocking it away.

" What are we supposed to do ? " Duc asked as he looked over at the crashed car worriedly, wondering if it was familiar or not.

" I could call Duran … but he only shoots missiles … and I don't want to kill them. " Ericel said as Misato sighed.

" … Gin-chan ? " Duc suddenly said as he looked over at the crashed car and then a body staggered out. The others couldn't believe they forgot about the car … but bullets being shot at you could be kinda distracting. As the blonde figure collapsed, Duc rushed out as Ericel and Misato reached after him !

" Duran ! " Ericel called out as he hopped aboard his mechanical dog and hopped after his friend. As he grabbed the two boys and hopped away again, Misato took the time to grab her pistol once again and locked onto the target. With a single shot, she hit one of the men right on his hand, making him drop the gun.

" That should take care of one … three left. " she analyzed before she ducked behind the wall of the alley once again as Ericel came over. Ericel quickly looked over the body of the man and saw that he was barely burned, only his clothes and his boyish face had a few scorch marks.

" Who is this ? " Ericel asked as Duc stared at him.

" It's Ginji, my dad's assistant. But he treats everyone nicely, like a big older brother … well, more like a little one since he's worse than I am … " he reminisced.

" … Ok then. Duran, go help Misato. " Ericel said as he prepared to heal the golden-haired man.

" Hehehe … h-hey. " Misato chuckled nervously as the dog barked next to her. But then she got serious again as she quickly thought up a plan. She cautiously put her leg over Duran and steadied herself, quickly whispering her simple plan into Duran's ear, hoping he could understand. As the guns stopped firing for a moment, she braced herself.

" Go ! " she shouted as Duran charged. He quickly got up to the car and rammed it, shaking it heavily as Misato reached in and threw all the men out in a single grab. As one man got up, Duran quickly tackled him and knocked him out as Misato pointed her gun at another man's leg and fired, causing him to yell in pain.

" Ya ! " Misato gasped as she remembered there was another man but easily heard him coming form behind. She swung her leg out behind her and wrapped it around his gun-holding arm, locking it. Misato then grabbed his wrist and turned it and the gun, firing the gun and hitting him in the leg, disabling him.

" Here we go. " Ericel clapped his hand together and hovered them over the body, concentrating heavily as his palms started to glow. Duc watched as waves of energy passed from Ericel to Ginji and then healed him slowly. He quirked his eyebrow, wondering why Ericel wasn't healing Ginji as fast as he healed him, but he looked at his friend and saw he was sweating heavily.

" It's me Misato, we got a little situation. " she reported right before she heard a large thump to the side.

" Eric ! " she heard Duc's voice as she whipped her head around and saw the teenage boy unconscious …

**--**

As the doorbell rang, Anne whipped her head around and just stared at the door.

" That couldn't possibly be him … it's not time yet. " her mother said in confusion as she walked towards the door. She gasped loudly as the familiar face came into view.

" Hey. " he greeted as Anne's mom stood there, stunned.

" No … no ! Get the hell out of here ! You had your chance to come but you can't just drop by a year _later_ ! We don't want you here and _John_ doesn't want you here ! " Anne suddenly yelled in a rage as she slammed the door on her _father_.

" … Anne, what are you doing ? " her mother asked in surprise.

" … Sorry mom … but I'm not sorry for what I did. He _deserved _it ! He wasn't here for John's funeral but he was cheating with his fuc- "

" Anne, that's enough. " her mom said calmly as Anne simmered down. Suddenly, she winced but quickly hid it.

" I'm gonna be in my room. " Anne said quickly before she departed, her mother thinking it was best to leave her alone.

" Um ! " Anne yelped in pain as soon as she closed the door. She leaned against the frame and gasped rapidly as her ring started glowing brighter and brighter.

" Something's wrong … " she gasped out as she gripped her ring. Anne knew something had happened to her friends and that was the last thought she had before she fainted …

**--**

Daisuke sat on the bench quietly as he waited at the hospital. When Eriol finally came out, Daisuke quickly jumped up and ran over.

" What happened to her !? " Daisuke yelled.

" Hey, hey. Calm down. " Eriol said quietly as he laid his hands on the teenager's shoulders gently.

" … Fine. " Daisuke said after awhile after a couple of deep breaths.

" Look, it's never easy to hear bad news about your loved ones. So be easy ok. Your grandmother … had a heart attack. " Eriol said as Daisuke took a while to process the information. Eriol looked worried as Daisuke did not seem to react.

" Hey, you ok ? " he asked in worry as Daisuke snapped out of it.

" … Uh … yeah. She's gonna be ok right ? " he asked as Eriol smiled and nodded. Daisuke sighed in relief and just nodded slowly.

" Ok … Th-that's good … I think I'm gonna go take a walk. " Daisuke said tiredly as he went outside.

**--**

" Wh- David ! What the hell do you mean !? " Kat yelled as David shook his head.

" Look Kat, I'm sorry, but we have to get out of here now. " David said as he continued pushing her towards the back door. Suddenly, it burst open and guys in suite came in.

" Looks like we don't have time to talk. " David said as Kat glared at him.

" Yes we do. " Kat said as she jumped up and sent out a long kick, knocking them all out.

" Ok now, talk. " Kat said as David looked at her in awe.

" Oh … oh yeah. " David said nervously as he looked away, but then they both turned as the front food was kicked down, and there stood the man that was _both_ of their nightmares …

" 'ello there Katherine … ooh, and look. My long, lost brother. So this is where you've been this entire time ? " the man said as Kat glanced at David.

" … Little brother ? " she asked as David refused to meet her gaze.

" I'm no longer you brother Houser. I left our family name a long time ago, and you have no more power over _me_, or _her_. " David said forcefully as he slid Kat behind him protectively. Kat just stared at the back of the man she thought of as a brother and wondered … who was he ?

**--**

" What the … why are you here !? " Ashant'e asked in surprise as her sister just smirked at her.

" I'm here to bring you back. I'm one of the commanders of our army now. " she said as Ashant'e continued staring.

" … So … why are you here !? " she asked again as her sister sighed.

" Look, I need you to come back … we need you. " Karin said.

" What do you mean ? " Ashant'e asked slowly.

" Dad … he's sick. " Karin said quietly.

" Sick !? What do you mean, then who's taking care of the people ? " she asked in worry.

" Prime Minister Noah is. But you know, you're the only successor left to the throne. " Karin reminded her.

" But that what about you !? " Ashant'e asked.

" Of course I would be, but you know that I'm wouldn't be a good ruler, so you're the only one left. " Karin said, making Ashant'e stagger.

" Well, short and pleasant. That's what you like right ? So I'll just leave now and let you think about it. " Karin said as she disappeared back into the portal. It seemed that Karin hadn't done much … but she made Ashant'e think very hard about this one. Ashant'e left knowing that her father could do well without her … but what now ? Choose the path of freedom she always wanted … or go back and be on the path of duty ?

**--**

As Daisuke walked the street, his mind was deep in thought. He had lived with his grandparents as long as he remembered, but he never saw them get even sick before. Seeing his grandmother lying on the floor like that made him seriously think about the thought that one day he could lose his grandparents.

" … Hmm ? " he looked up as he felt a rain drop on his head. Daisuke realized it was raining as he walked the streets. He quickly put his hand over his head and ran out of the crowded streets. He ran between two building and emerged through the other side … stopping as he saw only mist. Mist that was all too familiar.

" Who's there ? " he called out as the mist surrounded him and he couldn't see anything past a couple of feet. At the sound of crunching grass, he turned around and saw the kimono-wearing needle woman from before.

" You catch on quick. " the woman said in her quiet tone as in a flash of movement, needles were sent flying towards him.

" _Baikaibutsu ! _" he called out as his staff appeared and he twirled it, deflecting the needles. But before he could see, the woman disappeared in a flash and appeared by his side. He ducked down, avoiding her hand as she lashed out and he flipped back into safety. But just as he regained his footing, he looked around and realized she had disappeared again.

_' How do I beat someone so fast ?' _he wondered just as he instinctively dodged again just as the woman seemed to appear out of thin air and continue attack him.

" _Hibiki Tama ! _" he yelled out as he swung out his staff, sending out the invisible blast as hit soared out. But the woman just turned simply and the attack went right past her. His eyes widened as she disappeared to his side once again.

" You're still too weak. " she whispered. He blocked her attack and raised his finger to his lips.

" _Chakujitsu Ya. _" he whispered as he blew gently, and a hurricane shot out and destroyed everything in its path. The woman luckily was able to dodge most of it though her leg got hit and she was seriously injured. Daisuke grinned he frowned as he heard her words.

" Send in Chad. " she said as a giant shadow quickly loomed over him …

**--**

" Uhh … " Ericel muttered as he shot up. He looked around and realized he was in a hospital room. His eyes darted around quickly as he didn't remember what had happened.

" Eric, Eric. It's ok, calm down. " Misato spoke as Ericel's eyes darted to her. Suddenly, he looked over and was surprised to see Anne was there too !

" Wh-what happened ? " he asked as Misato gave him a look.

" You don't remember ? " she asked as she quickly told him what happened.

" So Duc, what happened to him ? " he asked as Misato pointed outside the door. Ericel hopped up and took a peek outside, seeing his friend asleep on the couch.

" And his friend ? " he asked as Misato pointed to another door next to him. Ericel nodded and then looked over at Anne in question.

" And what's up with her ? " he asked as he pointed at Anne. Suddenly, he felt a rush of wind and then he looked over in surprise as there Ashant'e was. When Anne jumped up, they all yelped in shock.

" Oh my god, Davis. " she breathed out as she looked down at her ring, which was glowing again. Anne quickly looked around and spotted the others.

" Something's wrong, Davis is in trouble. " she said as their eyes widened.

**--**

_" What do you mean ? "_

_" Davis is in trouble ! " Anne yelled worriedly as she jumped out of bed. Ashant'e and Ericel had looked at each other in confusion but would decide to trust Anne on this one._

_" Fine, if he's in trouble, then we probably really need some firepower. I'm gonna get Kat, you guys try to find him. " Ericel said as he jumped out the window. Misato yelped in worry as she ran to the window, only to see him riding on Duran out into the distance of the rain._

Ericel thought about what just happened as he raced off towards the building Kat lived in.

**--**

" David, what's going on ? " Kat asked quietly as David looked over his shoulder at her apologetically.

" Sorry, haven't been exactly truthful to you. " he said quietly as they all turned back to Houser.

" How the hell did you find us ? Why are you still alive ? " he demanded as the man just laughed.

" What do you think I am ? I am a god, I will never die ! Now, come back Katherine, or I will have to shoot my little brother for being disobedient. " he smirked as he held out a gun and aimed at David. Kat's eyes widened in horror as she saw that David's resolve was strong, he wasn't going to run … but it was going to get him killed.

" Fine. " she said simply, surprising David as he turned towards her.

" No, what are you doing !? " he asked in surprise as she caught his sight, quickly silencing him as she gently shook her head. But before she could get there, there was an enormous explosion from the front door …

**--**

" Do you think you can pinpoint his location ? " Ashant'e asked as Anne nodded, holding the ring close to her chest. They held hands as Ashant'e closed her eyes in concentration, leaving it up to Anne to lead her.

" Ok, here we go then. _Shikuchi !_ " she yelled out as they disappeared in a haze. As a whole series of locations flashed before their eyes, Anne felt Daisuke's energy as she pointed to an area that looked normal … which wasn't exactly true as they …

" Aaagghhh ! " the girls screamed in pain as they were hit. They yelled as the force field they hit electrocuted them continuously, only stopping when Ashant'e teleported them a couple of feet away.

" Damn … what the hell ? " Anne muttered as she clutched her fried body. Ashant'e slipped her slightly singed hair as she stared at the force field, glimmering a small pink as she looked at it in a certain angle.

" Shit, that's some strong stuff. I can't teleport through it, so I guess our only choice is to break through. " Ashant'e suggested as she stood up.

" _Terekineshisu. _" she said, pointing to the ground as she created a giant boulder, throwing it at the field as it hit and exploded ! Anne watched as Ashant'e threw more and more objects at the field, slowly growing more irritated.

" Hehe … Ashant'e ? " Anne sweat dropped as Ashant'e started getting more and more frustrated.

" What the HELL ! " Ashant'e screamed out in rage as her ring started glowing brighter, and she pointed to the side. Anne gasped in horror as she saw the old building Ashant'e pointed at … which started to crumble. Her eyes looked up as she followed the building floating up into the air and watched as Ashant'e threw it at amazing speed at the force field, actually managing to hit it … before it disintegrated too …

**--**

" Damn. " Daisuke cursed as he fell to the ground, rolling to the side just in time for him to dodge the giant man's armored arm from pulverizing him. As he flipped up, he looked down in fright as he saw a small crater where his body just was.

" Oomph ! " Daisuke grunted as the kimono woman appeared before him and kicked him in the stomach, launching him back. He tried to get up but gasped as he felt his chest, wondering if anything was broken as the pain suddenly became unbearable. He closed his eyes just as he saw them advancing on him, only to feel a weird sensation all of a sudden.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " Ericel called out as the shield appeared before Daisuke, stalling the attack in time for Ashant'e to take action.

" _Shikuchi !_ " she called out, teleporting Daisuke to her side as she went forward and Anne stood back to protect her friend.

" _Dai Jaen !_ " Kat yelled out as the flaming serpent spiraled around the enemy and engulfing them in flame. They jumped back just in time as it hit them, but there Ashant'e was, already up there as she kicked them both back down to the ground. As they fell back into the ground, the others regrouped and stood to the side, seeing they were clearly winning. But Kat and Ashant'e frowned immediately as they heard their next words …

" Heijun 2. " they said as they energy suddenly spiked and they started glowing. Ericel looked between them and back at his friends as he raised his hands just in time.

" _Gyouko Shouheki !_ " he yelled as the giant shield appeared in front of them, blocking the giant energy blast as it sent them backwards, crashing against the ground as the smoke cleared. And there stood the enemies … with upgraded weapons ! The woman was holding a shiny and deadly looking umbrella over her head as the man had armor on his already powerful arm, making it look even more threatening.

" Oh shit. " Ashant'e and Kat said unanimously as they covered their heads just in time as the woman spun her umbrella once, sending out a powerful energy blast that sent the other two girls flying back !

" Kat ! Asha- " Ericel stopped short as he looked down and saw the man's fist buried inside his gut. He couldn't breathe as he was sent hurtling back, crashing into the dirt headfirst as he immediately went out. Ashant'e and Kat looked at each other in pain as they slowly stood up and nodded towards each other.

" Baikaibutsu ! Heijun 2 ! " the girls screamed as Anne watched in surprise as the girls attained a new level of power …

**--**

**So yeah, I guess that's where I'll stop. Sorry for taking so long to update, didn't get much motivation … till now ! So please review, and I'll update faster !**


	34. Problems

**Celestial Students**

**By: Tsubasa Caligrapher**

**Chapter 34**

**Thank you everyone for reviewing. **

As the smoke cleared away, Anne watched in surprise as Kat and Ashant'e had a strange glow about them. When she saw the source of their energy, she saw they had a little power-up of their own. Kat had on some really cool and decorative gloves that had a red jewel imbedded in it, where fire seemed to ne swirling in right now. And a newly attached sash appeared around Ashant'e and attached to it was a bladed Chakram with a strange lilac handle that seemed to ooze with power.

" … Wow. " she said simply as she grabbed Daisuke and Ericel's shoulders carefully and pulled them to the side behind her.

" Now that everything's a bit more even, let's get to it. " Ashant'e smirked as she fingered the circular weapon at her side while Kat tightened her gloves. In a flash, both sides disappeared and as various craters appeared in the ground between them, Anne couldn't believe her eyes. They had moved so fast that in a flash, they had already switched sides.

" _Jaen ! _" Kat yelled as she lifted her hands and held them one above the other, a globe of fire appearing before her. In a moment, a giant flame was released, its power incomparable to her previous Jaen spell as it ripped through the air at the enemies. But, the woman herself threw her umbrella forward as it turned into a beam of light and clashed against the fire and exploded.

" Ya ! " Ashant'e yelled as the smoke cleared and she appeared through and grabbed the woman, bringing her inside the smoke. After a few clangs here and there, she emerged again back to the side of the man, obviously fatigued.

" Right there. " she said as she pointed to a shadow in the dust and he just nodded as he started to power up his arm. But something was different, the woman sounded strange, but when she turned to Anne and winked, she realized what just happened. Anne looked over and saw that Kat was charging a spell of her own.

" _Dai Jaen ! _" she screamed as a blazing dragon charged forward but the man didn't have any idea what happened as he sent forward his own energy blast and they collided into the shadow. Kat smirked as the dust cleared and there stood the woman. As the man stood there confused, the woman next to him had an energy circle around her feet that slowly traveled up, transforming her into Ashant'e ! As the circle changed back into her Chakram, she held it above him and it once again turned into an energy circle as it flowed about the man and constricted him.

" _ Shikuchi ! _" Ashant'e yelled as she teleported the man away, but she frowned as she saw the figure still standing tall.

_' … H-how could she still be standing after all that ? ' _ Anne watched in horror as she saw the woman still standing there, kimono in tact in all. She smirked at them and with a spin of her umbrella, she disappeared too. After awhile of nothing happening, Anne got up and started running to the others to congratulate them, only for them to faint from exhaustion.

**--**

_' … No … please, stay away ! I don't know anything ! … Please, let me-aggghh ! '_

" No ! " Ashant'e screamed as she woke up and looked around wildly, realizing that she was back at Misato's house. She suddenly shivered as a cold chill swept around her and wondered what was up with her ? Her mind suddenly flashed back to the battle from before and she immediately shot up.

" _Shikuchi. _" she said as she tried to concentrate her power, but then sighed as it didn't work.

" I knew it. " she muttered as she started running for the door.

**--**

" … What … are … you doing. " Ericel said, trying to keep a straight face as he saw Daisuke bent back almost in half as he was on Ericel's exercise machine …

" … Hehe … nothing … AAAGGGHHH ! " he yelped as he bent all the way back and fell off. Ericel just sighed and walked out of the room. As the doorbell rang, he ran out to the door and opened it to see a panting Ashant'e and Anne.

" …. Huff …. Huff …. hey. " they concluded as Ericel just raised his eyebrow.

" …. Why are you so tired ? " he asked, seeing as Ashant'e could teleport.

" I ran all the way here. " she said before she walked in. Ericel looked over at Anne and saw that she was motioning towards Ashant'e which meant she also ran.

" … Why ? " he asked as he followed them in.

**--**

Duc and Ginji were wandering about the city, wondering about what happened. Misato had come up with an excuse for Ericel and the others and hadn't told them about the battle they were facing. Meanwhile, Kat was also wandering about the city, thinking of the situation from before as she created a small but weak flame to entertain her.

" Oh, sor- hey, I know you. " Duc apologized before he realized he just bumped into Kat.

" … Oh, hey. " Kat said as she searched through her mind to remember him, which she did. As they continued walking together in silence, Ginji's stomach growled …

" Oh, hehe. Sorry, just haven't eaten anything in a long time. " Ginji chuckled good-naturedly. Duc just grinned up at him as they went to a nearby stand, with Kat slowly following as she was still deep in thought.

**--**

" … so whenever we overuse our powers, they're temporarily disabled. But since I'm stronger than you guys, I could recharge pretty soon. " she said as she demonstrated her ability to teleport small distances, but only small. The other three teenagers nodded slowly as they tried to comprehend what Ashant'e just told her. Suddenly, Daisuke's cell phone went off.

" … Yeah, … what ! Ok, I'm there ! " Daisuke said in alarm as he stood up quickly.

" What's up ? " Ericel asked in worry.

" Uh, gotta get to the hospital. " he said in a somewhat disoriented voice as he started towards the door. They just watched as the door slowly closed after his departure.

" Huh … I wonder what's up with him ? " Ashant'e stared at the ceiling …

**--**

As Misato lounged around on her couch, she stared at the ceiling, deep in thought when suddenly her phone rang.

" Hello ? " she asked, suddenly sitting up in shock as her eyes widened.

" … Are you sure ? … No, it can't be … I thought that wasn't allowed ! … No way in hell, I'm gonna be there. And … are you sure ? … Positive ? … fine, then you know better than me that we can't deal with this alone … I can't bring those kids, this is too dangerous ! …. But … who cares ! …. It'll be dangerous without them huh … " she came to defeat as she slowly shut the phone.

" Damn. " she whispered as she clicked her fingernails and stood up angrily.

**--**

As Ashant'e teleported back to her room, she stopped as she heard heavy rustling coming from Misato's room. When she peeked in, she saw that Misato was angrily ruffling through the papers. As she seemed to find something, she put it on the table gently and got undressed. Ashant'e looked on as she saw Misato pack more weaponry than usual. A pistol attached to each leg and a knife below each elbow.

" What is going on ? " she wondered. Suddenly, she felt a gust of wind behind her. She quickly shut the door and spun, striking out a kick as a figure materialized.

" Still slow I see. " Karin grinned as Ashant'e slowly lowered her leg.

" Back so soon sister dear ? " Ashant'e asked in a strange voice.

" Of course. Now, have you made a decision yet ? " she asked.

" … It's only been a day ! " she said in exasperation. Suddenly, she heard Misato coming closer so with a wave of her hand, Karin had been teleported away.

" H-hey ! Hahahahaha … hehe ? " she laughed loudly and nervously as Misato just stared at her strangely.

_" That was too close. " _she sweat dropped as Misato just shook her head clear.

" Come on, we need to get to Eric's house. "

**--**

" Where's Davis ? " Misato asked as she looked around the room. Ashant'e had found Kat along the way. She informed them that Duc and Ginji were staying at a hotel and she was just walking around.

" He's at the hospital. But I don't think he's up to anything right now. " Ericel said quietly as Misato nodded.

" Everyone, I'm really sorry …. but I'm gonna need your help. " she said seriously, making them all pay attention to her.

" Tomorrow, the head of NERV all around the world are gathering at the Otto Hotel. We need to go protect them. " she said simply. But all of their minds suddenly went to work.

" Why are so many important people gathering at once ? And so soon ? " Ashant'e asked.

" Why pick a rather common hotel ? The Otto has a very successful chain all around the world but still, shouldn't something this important be held somewhere else ? " Anne asked as she remembered her random hotel knowledge.

" Why do you need us ? Isn't there enough provided security for something this big already ? " Ericel wondered.

" … Do I need to go ? " Kat asked plainly. They all just stared at her with a strange look before she gave in. Misato shook her head and sighed deeply, unconsciously staring at each of the rings on their fingers.

" Intelligence says that they're being targeted. And no matter where they go, they'll probably still continue being targeted so they just need to get this over with. It's too important to leave alone. And the reason I need you guys … is that it's been discovered that a Ryoushi is working with the enemy. " she said, making them all freeze.

" …. W-what ? " Ericel wondered aloud.

" … What exactly is NERV ? " Ashant'e asked seriously. Misato stared at them before she sighed and shook her head.

" I can't tell you, not just yet. " she said, but Ashant'e wanted to know one more thing.

" But you _will_ tell us one day ? " she asked. As Misato nodded, Ashant'e accepted it and looked back towards the others.

" Are you guys going ? " Ashant'e asked, knowing it was short notice but still.

" I'm going, anything with a Ryoushi and I'm there. " Ashant'e said.

" Yeah, I need to learn more about this …. " Ericel said before looking over at Anne.

" You think we'll be able to sneak a peek and listen into them during this conference … thingy ? " he whispered as she slowly nodded.

" And my powers are gonna be useful right ? So I'm there. " Anne smiled, finally feeling happy that was going to be of some use to a higher power. Then with that, they all looked over at Kat.

" … What !? … Oh fine, nothing else to do anyway. " she grumbled as Ericel and Anne looked at each other one last time.

" Now … should we ask Davis or not ? "

**--**

**Yes, I know. I took forever, but hey, I had summer school ! But now, finally just some time to relax and type. Please review !**


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